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Illinois Basketball: Valdir Manuel would be a sneaky snag for the Illini

By Rees Woodcock

ORLANDO, FL - FEBRUARY 26: A detail of a net hanging from the rim with an official NBA 2012 Orlando NBA All-Star logo during the 2012 NBA All-Star Game at the Amway Center on February 26, 2012 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - FEBRUARY 26: A detail of a net hanging from the rim with an official NBA 2012 Orlando NBA All-Star logo during the 2012 NBA All-Star Game at the Amway Center on February 26, 2012 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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The Illinois basketball team finally pulled the trigger on giving Valdir Manuel a scholarship offer on Thursday.

When I say they finally gave Manuel an offer, I mean they have been recruiting him for a while and are starting to make a push for him now. This is a kid they have been on since last year. In an article back on December 17, Corey Evans of Rivals talked with Manuel about where he is in his recruitment and who stands out.

Illinois was one of the teams that were talking with him the most. Orlando Antigua is the primary recruiter for Manuel and has been texting and talking a lot with him. That was nearly three months ago, and I would doubt the attention given towards the big man has slowed down.

Manuel’s recruitment has picked up lately as well. He continues to get more and more scholarship offers by the day and for a good reason. He is one of the best big men left on the market. He is a 6-foot-10, 225-pound big man from St. Patrick High School in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He is rated as a three-star recruit who is the No. 135 player in the class of 2018 and the No. 6 player in the state of New Jersey.

247Sports has Seton Hall as the leader for Manuel right now but I think there are probably a handful of teams who are still in the mix. I haven’t seen anything concrete put out there yet and I don’t have a membership to the pay sites, so there may be information I am missing on his final list.

One fact I do know is Illinois could really use Manuel next season. The Illini had a few things wrong with their team this year, and one glaring issue was the lack of size in the paint. Having a 6-foot-10 capable big man come in would be a breath of fresh air. He would pair nicely with Ayo Dosunmu in the class of 2018.

Next: 5 takeaways from the Illini loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes

Hopefully, Illinois can work some magic and pull in Manuel. They need his presence in the paint. This would be a very sneaky snag if the coaching staff can get him to come to Champaign.

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