Roper

hollandnucat

Redshirt
Feb 4, 2009
360
27
0
Damn! Hate to see him go. Wish Roper the best. I believe he has a lot of potential. Oh I hate the portal!
 

Hungry Jack

All-Conference
Nov 17, 2008
37,198
2,685
67
What the heck? Coming off a lost season, I wonder what opportunities he will have. He was in line to see a lot of minutes here.
 
Aug 31, 2003
14,969
441
83
I don't get it. In the games where he wasn't injured, he was averaging over 20 minutes per game and was definitely a contributor. He wasn't riding the bench.
 

TheC

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
19,115
1,185
62
Damn! Hate to see him go. Wish Roper the best. I believe he has a lot of potential. Oh I hate the portal!
It really does suck for the fans. I also am not convinced all this moving around is good for the kids either.
 

AdamOnFirst

All-Conference
Nov 29, 2021
9,725
1,372
113
Pretty surprised by this one, doesn't seem to fit into any obvious boxes (got playing time year before injury, was going to get even more next year, team had a great year, etc). Hard to imagine he has massively superior NIL opportunities elsewhere that would drive this decision. He's not even that far from his home in Detroit. Strange...
 

combes

Heisman
Jul 10, 2001
36,256
10,766
66
I don't get it. In the games where he wasn't injured, he was averaging over 20 minutes per game and was definitely a contributor. He wasn't riding the bench.
It’s the new normal. It’s often not the player’s choice. I expect Illinois to lose a couple of guys who played a lot, but their parents/advisors thought they should have been more of a focus on the offense. One of them wants a bigger NIL. New world.

The key is replacing them with players who are even better in the portal.
 

MotownMedilldo

Redshirt
Jan 13, 2004
735
2
0
Pretty surprised by this one, doesn't seem to fit into any obvious boxes (got playing time year before injury, was going to get even more next year, team had a great year, etc). Hard to imagine he has massively superior NIL opportunities elsewhere that would drive this decision. He's not even that far from his home in Detroit. Strange...
I hope he ends up at Oakland U. (very close to his hometown) or University of Detroit Mercy and tears it up.
 

hollandnucat

Redshirt
Feb 4, 2009
360
27
0
It really does suck for the fans. I also am not convinced all this moving around is good for the kids either.
I think it is bad for all. I don't want my kids jumping around like that in school or their careers. Has to be extremely hard to coach in this environment. Heard recent Izzo interview where he said this could drive him out of coaching.
 

AdamOnFirst

All-Conference
Nov 29, 2021
9,725
1,372
113
I think it is bad for all. I don't want my kids jumping around like that in school or their careers. Has to be extremely hard to coach in this environment. Heard recent Izzo interview where he said this could drive him out of coaching.
Oh no, God forbid the kids be able to do what’s best for them in a world where coaches move around whenever or wherever they want. And God forbid TOM IZZO get made sad as he nears the end of a long and lucrative career. Whatever is a millionaire coach to do????
 

Purple Pile Driver

All-Conference
May 14, 2014
27,150
2,580
113
I expect to lose and gain transfers every year. I like Roper, but a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do!
 

scoobycat

Redshirt
Jan 26, 2023
34
0
6
I don't get it. In the games where he wasn't injured, he was averaging over 20 minutes per game and was definitely a contributor. He wasn't riding the bench.
He probably wants more than 20 mins per game and wouldn't get that at NU next year.
 

hdhntr1

All-Conference
Sep 5, 2006
37,316
1,111
113
It’s the new normal. It’s often not the player’s choice. I expect Illinois to lose a couple of guys who played a lot, but their parents/advisors thought they should have been more of a focus on the offense. One of them wants a bigger NIL. New world.

The key is replacing them with players who are even better in the portal.
So far we haven't been able to do that. Thought that might change with the reupping of CCC
 

PurpleWhiteBoy

Redshirt
Feb 25, 2021
5,303
0
0
Not a shock.
I thought he might leave after last season.
Could be a lot of reasons. Maybe somebody offered him some money. Maybe he's homesick (I doubt it).
Maybe he felt unappreciated.
Its too bad. He has significant upside.
Personally I would never deliberately trade 3 more years of Roper for one more year of Audige, if thats what drove the decision. If Audige isn't coming back, its even worse that Roper is leaving.
 

DaCat

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
25,509
1,905
113
I wonder if Kopp is calling him. :cool:
Maybe he talked to Pete about how the grass is greener.
A head scratcher.
 

docrugby1

Senior
Jun 16, 2010
6,824
436
58
The ankle injury did not allow him to play what I believe would have been significant minutes during the push to the NCAAs.
 

hollandnucat

Redshirt
Feb 4, 2009
360
27
0
Oh no, God forbid the kids be able to do what’s best for them in a world where coaches move around whenever or wherever they want. And God forbid TOM IZZO get made sad as he nears the end of a long and lucrative career. Whatever is a millionaire coach to do????
Everyone has an opinion. Mine is the portal and club basketball has pampered kids. This makes coaching and development very hard. I am friends with a former D1 player that coaches a fairly high level AU team. He said coaching has become very challenging as players know they have power. In my opinion too much at too young of an age. Call me old school.
 

NUCat320

Senior
Dec 4, 2005
19,469
495
0
He’s only got two seasons left and likely would not have entered next season as a starter. He does not benefit from the COVID season that’ll allow Berry to stick around for two more years.

As a guy who earned rotation minutes as a freshman, and who showed the same skills as Berry (who couldn’t shoot this season), I wish Roper would have chosen to stick around and compete for minutes, and then be in position to start as a senior.

(I also wish Roper had played fewer games and had been redshirt eligible, but whatareyagonnado?)

I’d imagine he’ll be first-team all MAC. But I wish he had waited until he earned his degree to take that step. (Toledo loses their #2 and #3 scorers, offered Roper out of high school, and plays super-fun, uptempo basketball.)
 
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DaCat

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
25,509
1,905
113
He’s only got two seasons left and likely would not have entered next season as a starter. He does not benefit from the COVID season that’ll allow Berry to stick around for two more years.

As a guy who earned rotation minutes as a freshman, and who showed the same skills as Berry (who couldn’t shoot this season), I wish Roper would have chosen to stick around and compete for minutes, and then be in position to start as a senior.

(I also wish Roper had played fewer games and had been redshirt eligible, but whatareyagonnado?)

I’d imagine he’ll be first-team all MAC. But I wish he had waited until he earned his degree to take that step. (Toledo loses their #2 and #3 scorers, offered Roper out of high school, and plays super-fun, uptempo basketball.)
Good point about his eligibility. He wanted a bigger role and figured it was an uphill battle at NU.
 

ballerog711

Redshirt
Sep 23, 2022
898
0
0
Probably does not want to sit next year.

If Chase and Boo come back. They will probably play 32 mins a game. MN is worth 32 mins a game. Lot of players for the minutes out of the last two spots.

Roper might be happier with more minutes and shots at a different school.
 

TheC

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
19,115
1,185
62
Probably does not want to sit next year.

If Chase and Boo come back. They will probably play 32 mins a game. MN is worth 32 mins a game. Lot of players for the minutes out of the last two spots.

Roper might be happier with more minutes and shots at a different school.
Of course, if Boo and Chase don’t come back now, we’re screwed
 

GatoLouco

Sophomore
Nov 13, 2019
5,636
116
63
I hope he ends up at Oakland U. (very close to his hometown) or University of Detroit Mercy and tears it up.
Oakland I can see it. They play fast, they are fun, if they get on a roll people show up. Detroit? I really hope not. Terrible coach, playing in front of 100 people.

My instinct is this means Audige and Buie will be back. Roper played more when Barnhizer was not the force he ended the year as. He wants more minutes than he figures he will get next year. He wants to be more of a focal point of the team. Therefore, he will not go to a power conference team, he will end up at a mid major.

New normal.
 

Sec_112

Junior
Jun 17, 2001
6,601
207
63
That's too bad. He would have been helpful.

I'm glad these guys now have options. But at some point in this evolution, I hope the conventional wisdom of these ballplayers begins to better understand the value of staying vs. program hopping. For example, Beran vs Nance.

But I also understand how someone needs to find out if they have the chance to max their abilities.

Lastly, I wish this didn't happen so soon after spring break. I can only imagine how many people were in his ear.
 

PurpleWhiteBoy

Redshirt
Feb 25, 2021
5,303
0
0
He wants to be more of a focal point of the team.
I don't really see that as his mindset, but, of course, we don't know him so we're guessing.

I always thought of him as a defense-first type of player.
Gritty. Excellent rebounder for his size (the kid can really jump).
Good player in the paint, good passer in the paint. Athletic.
Reluctant shooter but made a reasonably high percentage of his shots.
In short, he seemed ideal for our (Collins) newfound approach to basketball.
With a lot of upside if he started looking for his shot.

Disappointed he decided to leave. I think his ceiling was pretty high.
 

Max_Power

Junior
May 29, 2001
2,949
224
51
Our guard situation becomes thinner than my hairline
Thin is an exaggeration. I love Roper's enthusiasm and this bums me out. I don't know what Roper hopes to find but leaving 20-25 minutes a game on the table in a program that if things break their way could end up in the Top 5 in conference with a shot to make a run in the tourney seems to be a guy looking for something he might not find.
 

RhabdoWildcat

Junior
Dec 15, 2009
2,103
205
48
It’s the new normal. It’s often not the player’s choice. I expect Illinois to lose a couple of guys who played a lot, but their parents/advisors thought they should have been more of a focus on the offense. One of them wants a bigger NIL. New world.

The key is replacing them with players who are even better in the portal.
Give us Shannon and we’ll call it even.
 

NUThump

Redshirt
May 29, 2001
1,321
21
38
My instinct is this means Audige and Buie will be back. Roper played more when Barnhizer was not the force he ended the year as. He wants more minutes than he figures he will get next year. He wants to be more of a focal point of the team. Therefore, he will not go to a power conference team, he will end up at a mid major.
I agree with the first sentence, but not the last. He think he ends up in a power conference. He has shown ability and would have surely played more if not for injuries.
 

Max_Power

Junior
May 29, 2001
2,949
224
51
I agree with the first sentence, but not the last. He think he ends up in a power conference. He has shown ability and would have surely played more if not for injuries.

Well I hope he at least transfers out of conference but then again, given our record against IU since Kopp, I might take that as well.