Top-10 Illinois recruiting class sticks to their word

A few years ago, Illinois basketball head coach Bruce Weber’s staff was pushing him to try a different approach with recruiting — offer scholarships to younger players.

That was the approach with recruit Jereme Richmond, who verbally committed to playing for the Fighting Illini as a freshman in high school. Three years later, the 6-foot-8 wing made good on his promise, officially joining the Illini on Wednesday by signing his national letter of intent, along with two other highly ranked players who make up Illinois' 2010 recruiting class.

“We took a gamble and it worked out, and hopefully it’s a good story at the end,” Weber said. “The nice thing is, you know, we’ve created a great relationship with him.”

As a junior at Waukegan, Richmond tallied 20.1 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.3 blocks, while leading his team to a runner-up finish at the IHSA class 4A state tournament.

“He has a knack of knowing how to win and I think part of that’s just being a great team player,” Weber said. “He’s not a guy that needs to get 30. He’s more of a guy that’s looking for the triple double.”

Richmond, a consensus top-25 recruit, will be joined by consensus top-75 recruit Crandall Head and consensus top-50 recruit Meyers Leonard, rounding out the consensus top-10 class. The trio represents a group of in-state recruits, many with long-term Illinois connections. It’s something that should benefit them down the road.

“It should be a pretty easy transition for them — especially as far as just being around us and knowing what we’re about,” Weber said. “They’ve all watched practice, been to games, hung out in the summer, been part of open gyms, and just been around our program for quite a while.

“I think with those elements, it makes it an even more exciting group, besides the talent part of it.”

The younger brother of former Illinois All-American guard Luther Head, Crandall Head has been around the Illinois program since middle school. Weber remembers him as a kid running around the hotel during the 2004-05 Final Four run.

But his basketball potential came as somewhat of a surprise.

“All of a sudden Crandall, you know, out of nowhere, just blossomed as a player. And I think between freshman year (and) sophomore year (he) made big jumps,” Weber said, adding that Crandall’s athletic ability is similar to his older brother.

Crandall Head is a 6-foot-4 guard currently attending Rich South. As a junior at Chicago Crane, Head averaged 21 points and seven rebounds. But he likely won't see the court in his senior season, as he recently had knee surgery to repair a torn ACL.

“I hope Crandall can get healthy and maybe even be a little more hungry because he hasn’t had the opportunity to play here his senior year and really work at his game to get better and be ready to help us a year from now,” Weber said.

Rounding out the class is 7-foot center Meyers Leonard from Robinson, Ill. As a junior, Leonard averaged 12 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks.

Leonard appeared on Weber’s radar screen more gradually than the other two, after growing six to seven inches in two years. And Weber said the doctors have told Leonard he still may have some growing left. He’s also still adjusting to his height.

“(He’s a) little bit unassuming, I think he doesn’t know how good he is,” Weber said. “If he’ll put the time in and work at it and set high goals, he has a chance also to be not only a good player here and probably beyond this.”

Ranked No. 4 by ESPNU and No. 6 by Scout.com, the 2010 class is getting recognition. But the fact that the Illini were able to secure top in-state players, and at such an early age, is also important to Weber.

“We consider (them) the top three seniors in the state of Illinois. And then I think just as importantly, not even being from here, but wanting to be part of our program,” Weber said. “They’ve been very loyal as a group.”