Here's how former Illini fared during NBA Summer League games played yesterday, Thursday, July 16, 2026. 

Here's how former Illini fared during NBA Summer League games played yesterday, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. 

Here's how former Illini fared during NBA Summer League games played yesterday, Tuesday, July 14, 2026. 

Here's how former Illini fared during NBA Summer League games played yesterday, Monday, July 13, 2026. 

Here is how former Illini men's basketball players are faring so far during the NBA Summer League. 

When coming up with my 30 favorite Illinois men's basketball players of my fandom, I decided to focus from the start of the 1996-97 season, when my fandom for the Illini really developed. 

Of course, growing up in Chicago as a kid, I was familiar with Illini basketball. To this day, I still remember Illinois coming back on Easter Sunday to beat Syracuse in the Elite Eight of the 1989 NCAA Tournament. I also remember a tough tournament loss to Vanderbilt during the second round of the 1993 NCAA Tournament, an amazing victory at Duke at the start of the 1995-96 season, and the controversial decision to move on from Lou Henson prior to the end of that same season. 

Honestly, I learned a lot about Illinois men's basketball by reading the backs of NBA Hoops Basketball Cards, specifically from the 1990-91 season. Those cards were an early portal into which players went to Illinois. 

With that in mind, I used these basketball cards not only to learn which players went to Illinois and DePaul (my favorite college basketball program as a kid) but to decide whom I should be rooting for beyond my beloved Chicago Bulls of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, John Paxson, Bill Cartwright and others. 

Here's who were my favorite Illinois basketball players in the pros when I was a kid. 

fade, and the fact he was on the Charlotte Hornets, probably the most popular fashion team for kid fans of the NBA at the time. For some reason, young me always equated Gill with Michael Jordan, probably because the former Illini was also a shooting guard. Gill never became a superstar in the NBA, though he was a very solid starter for the Hornets and Seattle SuperSonics before finishing his career with the New Jersey Nets, Minnesota Timberwolves and even the Bulls! 

of the Chicago Bulls during the mid-1990s. Anderson and the Magic got the upper hand during Michael Jordan's return in the 1995 NBA Playoffs, with Nick making the mistake of saying "Jordan was not the same player he used to be." Jordan and the Bulls would exact revenge against Anderson and the Magic with a four-game sweep during the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals. After Orlando lost Shaq and became less of a factor, I began to root for Anderson again, especially when he joined the Sacramento Kings prior to the 1999-2000 season. By that time, Anderson was on his way out of the league. By the way I absolutely loved Anderson's 1990-91 NBA Hoops Rookie card with the "Rookie" logo in the upper right-hand corner. Rookie cards were all the rage during the early 90s, and third-grade me was sure Anderson's card was going to be worth a lot of money when I grew up. :-)

team's rivalry against the Bulls. I'll never forget Harper getting into a nasty fight with Bulls' reserve Jo Jo English during Game Three of the 1994 second round series between the two teams. As a kid, I always wondered how Harper, who was from Florida, ended up at Illinois. Whatever the case, Harper was an incredible player for the Knicks, a huge upgrade over Doc Rivers, as New York finally took down the Bulls during the first playoffs without Michael Jordan. 

Assembly Hall during the 1978-79 regular season. In the pros my favorite Johnson moment was when he hit a buzzer-beating three for the Houston Rockets to even the 1997 Western Conference Finals against the Utah Jazz at two games apiece. My least favorite Johnson moment was when Michael Jordan was called for a controversial foul on Eddie during the second-to-last game of Chicago's incredible 1995-96 regular season. Jordan and the Bulls argued that the hand was part of the ball as MJ was called for a foul on EJ, who hit two free throws to deny Chicago of going 40-1 at home that season, matching the record of the 1985-86 Boston Celtics. 

School, whom I loved anyways. I remember rooting for the 1994 Denver Nuggets, an eight seed that beat the one-seed Seattle Supersonics and took the Utah Jazz to seven games in the second round of the NBA Playoffs, in large part due to Liberty being on the roster. 

to the Flyin' Illini. Man, how I wish I could remember more of the 1989 Flyin' Illini as I was only in first grade! 

always an entertaining figure when listening to Bulls' games. Jim Durham, Wayne Larrivee and he were the voices of my youth watching the Bulls on WGN! 

As I was on vacation the week prior to the Fourth of July and since have been working on a fantasy draft for my Illini 30 for 30 series, here are some pertinent updates around the Illinois men's basketball program. 

1. Last Sunday, Illinois transfer Mihailo Petrovic committed to Seton Hall. I was unsure if Petrovic would stay in college basketball or go back playing overseas, but he has decided to play for the Pirates and Head Coach Shaheen Holloway. Here's hoping Mihailo will get some more consistent playing time at Seton Hall. 

2. On Tuesday, it was announced that Illinois will be playing Fran McCaffery's Penn team on November 5th at State Farm Center as part of its nonconference schedule. Of course, this game will be a rematch of the Illini's first round victory against the Quakers during the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

Let's break down Team Brad Underwood from my fantasy draft of my 30 favorite Illinois men's basketball players of my 30-year fandom! 

Team Underwood 
PG: Frank Williams (#6 Overall Pick)
SG: Brandon Paul (#19 Overall Pick) 
SF: David Mirkovic (#7 Overall Pick) 
PF: Marcus Arnold (#30 Overall Pick) 
C: Tomislav Ivisic (#18 Overall Pick) 

Draft Recap

Head Coach Brad Underwood took advantage of Frank Williams falling to the end of the first round and then immediately added David Mirkovic with the first pick of the second round. Underwood could not pass up on the "Original Balkan" Tomislav Ivisic with the last pick of the third round and swooped in to take Brandon Paul with the first pick of the fourth round, forming a tantalizing backcourt with Williams. With the last pick of the draft, Underwood took the last player available, Marcus Arnold, who does not fit the roster but will serve a valuable role as a screener and banger down low. 

One-Word Description of This Team: SPACING! 

Underwood may have the most talented player on all six teams in Williams, who will be operating in the pick and roll with Mirkovic and Ivisic quite often. The goal will be for Williams to break down the defense and open up the three-point shooting for this team. Paul will be a dangerous cutter while Arnold could benefit on the box with his man sagging off to contain a penetrating Williams, who will have the chance to be a maestro of a highly efficient offense. This Illinois team will try to punish opponents with its size. 

Concerns: Chemistry, Personality Fits, Defensive Quickness, How to Use Arnold 

Underwood and Williams could be a beautiful marriage or a quick divorce. Williams loves to play the game but sometimes looks disinterested; how does Underwood get the most out of the super-talented point guard? Having a fiery Mirkovic and steady Ivisic should help push Williams. While Williams and Paul could be a devastating backcourt defensively, Illinois lacks foot speed in the frontcourt. How will this team counter opponents that spread out Arnold and Mirkovic, and attack off the dribble? Expect Illinois to throw out a lot of 2-3 zone with this team. Arnold's lack of shooting and foot speed are problematic as he must play strictly in the post. He is a hard worker, though, and will be content doing his job, whether or not he gets any shots at all. 

Overall Thoughts: 

This team does not have the most ideal roster construction based upon draft position, but Underwood has shown an ability to adapt his offense to his personnel each and every season. If Williams is playing at his best self, this team can beat anyone. Paul feels like a big wildcard as a slasher and defender, and Mirkovic rarely gets thrown off his game. Underwood will need Ivisic to post up as he is the tallest player of any Illini on all six teams. This is an Underwood team that looks it could be a boom or bust based upon how all the pieces fit together. Mirkovic is such an engaging personality and good teammate that all these worries could be for naught, and this team could be really tough to defeat with its talent and size. 

Let's break down Team John Groce from my fantasy draft of my 30 favorite Illinois men's basketball players of my 30-year fandom! 

Team Groce
PG: Trent Frazier (#20 Overall Pick) 
SG: Terrence Shannon Jr. (#5 Overall Pick) 
SF: Will Riley (#17 Overall Pick) 
PF: Tyler Griffey (#29 Overall Pick) 
C: Morez Johnson Jr. (#8 Overall Pick) 

Draft Recap 

John Groce certainly fared better hitting during the draft than on the recruiting trail, beginning with his first round pick of Terrence Shannon Jr., an unstoppable bowling ball going downhill when driving the ball to the basket. Groce surprised everyone in Round Two by adding man child Morez Johnson, a beast down low who entered college with the musculature of a senior. Groce continued to compile talent, nabbing gifted scorer Will Riley in the third round. To add some more toughness to his squad, Groce selected Trent Frazier in the fourth round to be his starting point guard and defensive stopper. With his final pick, Groce added power forward Tyler Griffey to provide some much needed floor spacing and outside shooting. 

One-Word Description of This Team: ATHLETIC! 

Groce made athleticism a top priority with his top two picks, as Shannon and Johnson are matchup nightmares. Groce couldn't pass up on the gifted scoring of the lanky Riley, a natural-born scorer and killer. Frazier provides this team stability as a ball handler, shooter and defender while Griffey makes up for his lack of athleticism with his basketball IQ. This team should be hard to stop with Shannon attacking from the ring, Riley playing a pick and roll game with the rim-running Johnson, and Frazier able to isolate and crossover into the three ball. 

Concerns: A Lot of Mouths to Feed, Ball Dominance, Half Court Offense against Tough Defenses 

Griffey will not be getting a lot of looks on this team, and Frazier will definitely have to take a step back on offense as Groce keeps Shannon, Riley and Johnson involved. At times, Shannon and Riley can dominate the ball. How this team fares against defensive-minded clubs that slow down and grind out games will be interesting and could be problematic. This team is best suited playing up tempo and getting quick shots off simplistic offense. Defensively, Riley and Griffey will be where opposing teams attack. 

Overall Thoughts

On paper, this is a quite talented team, though I worry if there will be enough offensive structure against stout defenses that muck up and slow down the game. The faster this team plays, the better, especially with Griffey trailing as a three-point shooting big man. Frazier will be the most important player keeping all of this talent together and on the same page. If it clicks, Shannon and Riley could be the most explosive 1-2 punch on any of these teams. 

Let's break down Team Bruce Weber from my fantasy draft of my 30 favorite Illinois men's basketball players of my 30-year fandom! 

Team Weber
PG: Marcus Domask (#9 Overall Pick)
SG: Luther Head (#4 Overall Pick) 
SF: Sergio McClain (#16 Overall Pick) 
PF: Mike Davis (#28 Overall Pick)
C: Robert Archibald (#21 Overall Pick)

Draft Recap 

Head Coach Bruce Weber began by picking one of his three superstar guards from the 2005 National Runner Up, Luther Head, who will be the unquestioned go-to guy on this team. Weber pulled off a bit of a surprise in the second round, selecting four-year SIU Saluki and one-year Illini Marcus Domask. Weber added bulldog Sergio McClain as a lead defender and connector on offense during the third round and then followed up with some more toughness down low, with big man Robert Archibald in the fourth round. With the choice of either Mike Davis, Tyler Griffey or Marcus Arnold as a power forward in the fifth round, Weber chose the most athletic of the three, Davis, a three-year starter for the Illini coach. 

One-Word Description of This Team: STEADY! 

Weber will not have to worry too much about the effort on this team as Domask and McClain are heady ballplayers who will do whatever it takes to win while Head and Archibald play with an edge. Davis is more of a finesse player who is a crafty scorer despite not having the most girth. Weber works best with overachievers, which Domask, McClain, Davis and Archibald represent, while having a track history of getting the most out of Head during their two seasons together. This team should not have any issues sharing and moving the basketball. McClain, Head and Archibald will provide tough defense while Domask and Davis will play hard on that end. 

Concerns: Lack of a Point Guard, Outside Shooting, Lack of a Big to Stretch the Floor, Team Speed

Weber is confident that Domask and McClain will be able to share point guard duties in the half court. While Head is  a sniper from three, Domask and McClain can be a bit erratic from the outside. Both players figure to get baskets off post ups. Davis can shoot from the mid-range in, but neither Archibald or he can step out and hit the three. With the exception of Head and Davis, this is not a very swift team that could struggle with more athletic opponents. 

Overall Thoughts

Weber has built a team with a high floor, low ceiling, though Head could carry this team to its maximum heights. Weber's team figures to be tough on both ends of the half court, one that will grind down opponents and dictate its style of play. This team has a high basketball IQ, and like Kruger's team, the sum should be greater than the parts. McClain is an ultimate winner, who will make sure things are connected on both ends, while Domask is a sneaky good #2 option. Weber built this team based on his identity, rather than chasing the most talent, and that should bode well for a coach who can X and O quite well with intelligent players. 

Let's break down Team Bill Self from my fantasy draft of my 30 favorite Illinois men's basketball players of my 30-year fandom! 

Team Self 
PG: Keaton Wagler (#3 Overall Pick)
SG: Alfonso Plummer (#22 Overall Pick) 
SF: Matthew Mayer (#15 Overall Pick) 
PF: Jack Ingram (#27 Overall Pick)
C: James Augustine (#10 Overall Pick)

Draft Recap: 

Bill Self wasted no time turning in his draft selection with the third overall pick, selecting Keaton Wagler. After nabbing the player responsible for the greatest freshman season in Illinois basketball history, Self doubled down on another winner in the second round, going with James Augustine, who is tied with Dee Brown as the all-time winningest Illini men's basketball player. Self then threw caution to the wind, selecting two wildcards in the third and fourth rounds, respectively. While streaky, third-round pick Matthew Mayer and fourth-round pick Alfonso Plummer were too good to pass up with their shooting ability. Self then finished up with a solid selection as a fifth pick, big man Jack Ingram, who will be asked to defend, screen and hit the occasional open shot. 

One-Word Description of This Team: DANGEROUS! 

If everything clicks, Self might have the most dangerous team of any of the six. Self is relying on the steadiness of Wagler, Augustine and Ingram to balance out the streakiness of Mayer and Plummer. When clicking, Self's team should put up a lot of points. The key for Self will be to get consistency out of Mayer. If bought in, Mayer could swing this team to a whole different level. Plummer's ability to stretch the floor should allow Augustine to work in the post, as will Ingram's ability to pass out of the high-low. 

Concerns: Pacing, Interior Scoring, Keeping Everyone Involved, Lack of Athleticism 

Wagler prefers to play a methodical pace while Mayer and Plummer are best in a more up-tempo game. How will Self find the right balance here? This teams lacks a true post presence who can get on the block and score consistently, though Augustine has potential in this area and will be asked to do more of this for Self's team. This team will not collapse the defense with post touches but will have to do so with Wagler's penetration. Defensively, Plummer's size could create mismatch opportunities for opponents with bigger back courts. Self usually has a dude who can get points off sheer athleticism, which is missing on this team, though Wagler's ability to play the game at his own speed should offset this potential concern. 

Overall Thoughts

Self is going to put the ball in Wagler's hands and let the point guard cook. Mayer could be really dangerous as an off-ball cutter in addition to a three-point shooter from the corner. Expect Augustine to set a lot of screens for Wagler and roll to the basket as Self spaces the floor with Ingram, Mayer and Plummer, perhaps the most dangerous flamethrower of any Illini on these six teams. Augustine and Ingram may not wow anyone down low, but they will work hard and get the job done. Augustine's high field-goal percentage and rebounding are not to be forgotten as well. Like many Self teams, this squad could win it all or disappoint, though Wagler and Augustine make the latter unlikely. 

Let's break down Team Lon Kruger from my fantasy draft of my 30 favorite Illinois men's basketball players of my 30-year fandom! 

Team Kruger
PG: Cory Bradford (#11 Overall Pick) 
SG: Dee Brown (#2 Overall Pick) 
SF: D.J. Richardson (#26 Overall Pick) 
PF: Damir Krupalija (#14 Overall Pick) 
C: Dain Dainja (#23 Overall Pick)

Draft Recap

While there were bigger and more talented guys on the board, Kruger chose Dee Brown with the #2 overall pick, making the most popular Illinois player of all time the face of his team and best overall pick. Kruger followed up with #11 overall pick Cory Bradford in the second round, with an ace up his sleeve. Kruger plans to play Bradford as the point guard as was the case during his fabulous Big Ten Freshman of the Year season back in 1998-99. Bradford figures to be an X-factor on this team. Kruger surprised again in the third round, drafting another player who showed a lot of promise as a freshman in 1998-99, power forward Damir Krupalija. Kruger is banking that he will get the most out of Bradford and Krupalija, two guys who had to play secondary roles as their Illini careers progressed. In the fourth round, Kruger fell in love with Dain Dainja, who fits the profile of Florida forward Demetrious Hill, who led the Gators to the Final Four in 1994. Kruger filled out his starting five with D.J. Richardson, once again banking on the belief that he will coach up the small forward based on all of the promise of D.J.'s Big Ten Freshman of the Year campaign back in the 2009-10 season. 

One Word Description of Team Kruger: POTENTIAL! 

Kruger is known for getting the most out of his players, and that is the goal with this team. Brown's energy will be a constant on this team, and Kruger is confident that Bradford's game will take off with the ball in his hands. Kruger feels that Krupalija will also rise to the occasion with more responsibility and priority on offense. Kruger understands Dainja's defensive limitations and will rely on the big man for efficient offense. Richardson will be expected to be a three-and-D guy. 

Concerns about This Team: Perimeter Size, Interior Defense, Consistent Scoring 

Kruger has a small perimeter with Bradford 6'3'', Brown 6'0'' and Richardson 6'5''. On the interior, Dainja will struggle guarding more talented bigs. Krupalija will fight hard but be expected to carry a heavy defensive burden next to Dain. Scoring on this team could be hit or miss as all five players can put up points or go quiet. 

Overall Thoughts

Bradford and Brown are the keys to this team, which may struggle early on but will get better as the season progresses. Along with James Augustine, Brown is the winningest player in the history of Illinois basketball so losing will not be tolerated. The sum of this team is greater than the individual parts, which fits Kruger to a tee. He is a master at getting the most out of his players as seen during his first two seasons at Illinois. If Kruger can unleash Bradford's slashing ability as a freshman, make Krupalija more of a focal point, utilize Brown's quickness and activity, find room for Dainja as a complementary scorer, and build up Richardson's confidence, this team could surprise. 

Let's break down Team Lou Henson from my fantasy draft of my 30 favorite Illinois men's basketball players of my 30-year fandom! 

Team Henson
PG: Deron Williams (#1 Overall Pick) 
SG: Kevin Turner (#24 Overall Pick) 
SF: Lucas Johnson (#25 Overall Pick) 
PF: Roger Powell Jr. (#13 Overall Pick) 
C: Marcus Griffin (#12 Overall Pick) 

Draft Recap

Henson began the draft by taking Williams above anyone else, a wonderful player to start the team. After waiting eleven picks and seeing three big men go in the second round, Henson got a winning center in Marcus Griffin, who will get way more touches on this team. Henson followed up with the ultimate glue guy Roger Powell Jr., another player who will have a heavier offensive role. In the fourth round, Henson made the intriguing pick of X-factor Kevin Turner, whose shooting should complement Williams quite well. Henson began the fifth round with his shrewdest pick, adding Lucas Johnson to round out the starting five. 

One-Word Description of This Team: TOUGHNESS! 

Coach Lou Henson drafted five competitors, with Williams the #1 overall pick in the entire draft in large part to his attitude that he is the best player on the court. Henson's team is one that will defend and fight. The Williams and Kevin Turner backcourt is very intriguing as Turner should benefit from Williams' ability to get in the paint off the bounce. Center Marcus Griffin will be asked to do a lot more scoring than he had to during his Fighting Illini career, when he played on a loaded team with Brian Cook, Robert Archibald and Damir Krupalija down low. Henson has two incredible glue guys with Roger Powell Jr. and Lucas Johnson. To be successful, this team will make its living defending and need balanced scoring. Williams will have to look for more offense than he did at Illinois. 

Concerns: Size, Foot Speed, Athleticism and Scoring 

Team Henson has no player bigger than the 6'9'' Griffin. At the forward spots Johnson and Powell could struggle with quicker, taller and more athletic players. While Turner and Williams can shoot the three, with Johnson and Powell able to hit spot up threes, there is no dead-eye shooter on this team. If the shooting is not there, and this team is spread out on the perimeter on the defensive end, there could be challenges. 

Overall Thoughts

This team will be a tough opponent due to the competitiveness across the starting five. Williams will back down to no one, and Griffin has won throughout high school and college. Turner and Powell will need to be consistent third and fourth scoring options while Johnson will make his calling on the defensive end. Still, there will be little ego on this team, which will be all about winning, with each player understanding and playing his role. 

My fantasy draft of my 30 favorite Illinois men's basketball players of my 30-year fandom is complete! 

Here is the list of eligible players and the draft order/stipulations. 

Here are the final teams. 

Team Henson
PG: Deron Williams (#1 Overall Pick)
SG: Kevin Turner (#24 Overall Pick)
SF: Lucas Johnson (#25 Overall Pick)
PF: Roger Powell Jr. (#13 Overall Pick) 
C: Marcus Griffin (#12 Overall Pick) 

Team Kruger
PG: Cory Bradford (#11 Overall Pick) 
SG: Dee Brown (#2 Overall Pick) 
SF: D.J. Richardson (#26 Overall Pick) 
PF: Damir Krupalija (#14 Overall Pick) 
C: Dain Dainja (#23 Overall Pick)

Team Self 
PG: Keaton Wagler (#3 Overall Pick)
SG: Alfonso Plummer (#22 Overall Pick) 
SF: Matthew Mayer (#15 Overall Pick) 
PF: Jack Ingram (#27 Overall Pick)
C: James Augustine (#10 Overall Pick)

Team Weber
PG: Marcus Domask (#9 Overall Pick)
SG: Luther Head (#4 Overall Pick) 
SF: Sergio McClain (#16 Overall Pick) 
PF: Mike Davis (#28 Overall Pick)
C: Robert Archibald (#21 Overall Pick)

Team Groce
PG: Trent Frazier (#20 Overall Pick) 
SG: Terrence Shannon Jr. (#5 Overall Pick) 
SF: Will Riley (#17 Overall Pick) 
PF: Tyler Griffey (#29 Overall Pick) 
C: Morez Johnson Jr. (#8 Overall Pick) 

Team Underwood 
PG: Frank Williams (#6 Overall Pick)
SG: Brandon Paul (#19 Overall Pick) 
SF: David Mirkovic (#7 Overall Pick) 
PF: Marcus Arnold (#30 Overall Pick) 
C: Tomislav Ivisic (#18 Overall Pick) 

My fantasy draft of my 30 favorite Illinois men's basketball players of my 30-year fandom is complete! 

Here is the list of eligible players and the draft order/stipulations. 

Here is who was selected during the first round.
 
#1 Overall Pick - Deron Williams, Team Henson
#2 Overall Pick - Dee Brown, Team Kruger
#3 Overall Pick - Keaton Wagler, Team Self
#4 Overall Pick - Luther Head, Team Weber
#5 Overall Pick - Terrence Shannon Jr., Team Groce
#6 Overall Pick - Frank Williams, Team Underwood 

Here is who was selected during the second round. 

#7 Overall Pick - David Mirkovic, Team Underwood 
#8 Overall Pick - Morez Johnson, Team Groce
#9 Overall Pick - Marcus Domask, Team Weber
#10 Overall Pick - James Augustine, Team Self
#11 Overall Pick - Cory Bradford, Team Kruger
#12 Overall Pick - Marcus Griffin, Team Henson

Here is who was selected during the third round. 

#13 Overall Pick - Roger Powell Jr., Team Henson
#14 Overall Pick - Damir Krupalija, Team Kruger
#15 Overall Pick - Matthew Mayer, Team Self
#16 Overall Pick - Sergio McClain, Team Weber
#17 Overall Pick - Will Riley, Team Groce
#18 Overall Pick - Tomislav Ivisic, Team Underwood

Here is who was selected during the fourth round. 

#19 Overall Pick - Brandon Paul, Team Underwood 
#20 Overall Pick - Trent Frazier, Team Groce
#21 Overall Pick - Robert Archibald, Team Weber
#22 Overall Pick - Alfonso Plummer, Team Self
#23 Overall Pick - Dain Dainja, Team Kruger
#24 Overall Pick - Kevin Turner, Team Henson

Here is who was selected during the fifth round. 

#25 Overall Pick - Lucas Johnson, Team Henson
#26 Overall Pick - D.J. Richardson, Team Kruger
#27 Overall Pick - Jack Ingram, Team Self
#28 Overall Pick - Mike Davis, Team Weber
#29 Overall Pick - Tyler Griffey, Team Groce
#30 Overall Pick - Marcus Arnold, Team Underwood 

Let's continue with my fantasy draft of my 30 favorite Illinois men's basketball players of my 30-year fandom. 

Here is the list of eligible players and the draft order/stipulations. 

Here is who was selected during the first round.
 
#1 Overall Pick - Deron Williams, Team Henson
#2 Overall Pick - Dee Brown, Team Kruger
#3 Overall Pick - Keaton Wagler, Team Self
#4 Overall Pick - Luther Head, Team Weber
#5 Overall Pick - Terrence Shannon Jr., Team Groce
#6 Overall Pick - Frank Williams, Team Underwood 

Here is who was selected during the second round. 

#7 Overall Pick - David Mirkovic, Team Underwood 
#8 Overall Pick - Morez Johnson, Team Groce
#9 Overall Pick - Marcus Domask, Team Weber
#10 Overall Pick - James Augustine, Team Self
#11 Overall Pick - Cory Bradford, Team Kruger
#12 Overall Pick - Marcus Griffin, Team Henson

Here is who was selected during the third round. 

#13 Overall Pick - Roger Powell Jr., Team Henson
#14 Overall Pick - Damir Krupalija, Team Kruger
#15 Overall Pick - Matthew Mayer, Team Self
#16 Overall Pick - Sergio McClain, Team Weber
#17 Overall Pick - Will Riley, Team Groce
#18 Overall Pick - Tomislav Ivisic, Team Underwood

Here is who was selected during the fourth round. 

#19 Overall Pick - Brandon Paul, Team Underwood 
#20 Overall Pick - Trent Frazier, Team Groce
#21 Overall Pick - Robert Archibald, Team Weber
#22 Overall Pick - Alfonso Plummer, Team Self
#23 Overall Pick - Dain Dainja, Team Kruger
#24 Overall Pick - Kevin Turner, Team Henson

Here is the draft order of the fifth and final round. 

#25 Overall Pick - Team Henson
#26 Overall Pick - Team Kruger
#27 Overall Pick - Team Self
#28 Overall Pick - Team Weber
#29 Overall Pick - Team Groce
#30 Overall Pick - Team Underwood 

Let's continue with my fantasy draft of my 30 favorite Illinois men's basketball players of my 30-year fandom. 

Here is the list of eligible players and the draft order/stipulations. 

Here is who was selected during the first round.
 
#1 Overall Pick - Deron Williams, Team Henson
#2 Overall Pick - Dee Brown, Team Kruger
#3 Overall Pick - Keaton Wagler, Team Self
#4 Overall Pick - Luther Head, Team Weber
#5 Overall Pick - Terrence Shannon Jr., Team Groce
#6 Overall Pick - Frank Williams, Team Underwood 

Here is who was selected during the second round. 

#7 Overall Pick - David Mirkovic, Team Underwood 
#8 Overall Pick - Morez Johnson, Team Groce
#9 Overall Pick - Marcus Domask, Team Weber
#10 Overall Pick - James Augustine, Team Self
#11 Overall Pick - Cory Bradford, Team Kruger
#12 Overall Pick - Marcus Griffin, Team Henson

Here is who was selected during the third round. 

#13 Overall Pick - Roger Powell Jr., Team Henson
#14 Overall Pick - Damir Krupalija, Team Kruger
#15 Overall Pick - Matthew Mayer, Team Self
#16 Overall Pick - Sergio McClain, Team Weber
#17 Overall Pick - Will Riley, Team Groce
#18 Overall Pick - Tomislav Ivisic, Team Underwood

Here is the draft order for the fourth round. 

#19 Overall Pick - Team Underwood 
#20 Overall Pick - Team Groce
#21 Overall Pick - Team Weber
#22 Overall Pick - Team Self
#23 Overall Pick - Team Kruger
#24 Overall Pick - Team Henson

Let's continue with my fantasy draft of my 30 favorite Illinois men's basketball players of my 30-year fandom. 

Here is the list of eligible players and the draft order/stipulations. 

Here is who was selected during the first round.
 
#1 Overall Pick - Deron Williams, Team Henson
#2 Overall Pick - Dee Brown, Team Kruger
#3 Overall Pick - Keaton Wagler, Team Self
#4 Overall Pick - Luther Head, Team Weber
#5 Overall Pick - Terrence Shannon Jr., Team Groce
#6 Overall Pick - Frank Williams, Team Underwood 

Here is who was selected during the second round. 

#7 Overall Pick - David Mirkovic, Team Underwood 
#8 Overall Pick - Morez Johnson, Team Groce
#9 Overall Pick - Marcus Domask, Team Weber
#10 Overall Pick - James Augustine, Team Self
#11 Overall Pick - Cory Bradford, Team Kruger
#12 Overall Pick - Marcus Griffin, Team Henson

Here is the draft order for the third round. 

#13 Overall Pick - Team Henson
#14 Overall Pick - Team Kruger
#15 Overall Pick - Team Self
#16 Overall Pick - Team Weber
#17 Overall Pick - Team Groce
#18 Overall Pick - Team Underwood

Let's continue with my fantasy draft of my 30 favorite Illinois men's basketball players of my 30-year fandom. 

Here is the list of eligible players and the draft order/stipulations. 

Here is who was selected during the first round.
 
#1 Overall Pick - Deron Williams, Team Henson
#2 Overall Pick - Dee Brown, Team Kruger
#3 Overall Pick - Keaton Wagler, Team Self
#4 Overall Pick - Luther Head, Team Weber
#5 Overall Pick - Terrence Shannon Jr., Team Groce
#6 Overall Pick - Frank Williams, Team Underwood 

Here is the draft order for the second round. 

#7 Overall Pick - Team Underwood 
#8 Overall Pick - Team Groce
#9 Overall Pick - Team Weber
#10 Overall Pick - Team Self
#11 Overall Pick - Team Kruger
#12 Overall Pick - Team Henson  

For fun, I am going to draft six teams from my list of my 30 favorite Illinois men's basketball players of all-time. 

Here are the list and draft stipulations/order. 

Let's begin the first round! 

With my list of my 30 favorite Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball players of my 30-year fandom complete, I thought it would be fun to do a fantasy draft with these players. 

As a recap, here is the final list of players, including breakdowns by: 

• Position. 
• Commitments. 
• Coaches. 

Here is how the fantasy draft will work. 

1) As there are 30 players, I will draft six teams of five players each. 

2) The teams will be named after the six Illinois coaches of my 30-year fandom: Team Henson, Team Kruger, Team Self, Team Weber, Team Groce and Team Underwood. The first pick will go to Team Henson followed by Kruger, Self, Weber, Groce and Underwood. 

3) Draft positioning will work in a snake position, meaning the person who drafts last in the first round will get the first pick of the second round. 

4) Each day I will release a new round of the draft. 

Here is the draft positioning: 

First Round, Overall Pick #:
1 - Team Henson
2 - Team Kruger
3 - Team Self
4 - Team Weber
5 - Team Groce
6 - Team Underwood 

Second Round, Overall Pick #: 
7 - Team Underwood
8 - Team Groce
9 - Team Weber
10 - Team Self 
11 - Team Kruger
12 - Team Henson 

Third Round, Overall Pick #:
13 - Team Henson
14 - Team Kruger
15 - Team Self
16 - Team Weber
17 - Team Groce
18 - Team Underwood 

Fourth Round, Overall Pick #: 
19 - Team Underwood
20 - Team Groce
21 - Team Weber
22 - Team Self 
23 - Team Kruger
24 - Team Henson

Fifth Round, Overall Pick #:
25 - Team Henson
26 - Team Kruger
27 - Team Self
28 - Team Weber
29- Team Groce
30- Team Underwood 

After not getting drafted during the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft on Wednesday night, recent Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball players Ben Humrichous and Kylan Boswell have signed with NBA teams. 

Shortly after the draft, Humrichous inked an Exhibit 10 Contract with the Brooklyn Nets. While he was not expected to be drafted, Humrichous will likely be on the Nets' summer league roster, though he can be cut at any time on his non-guaranteed deal. 

As for Boswell, he waited a bit until signing a two-way deal with the Charlotte Hornets, an organization that might offer him a legitimate opportunity to make the roster. 

Charlotte just traded Lamelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves earlier today and drafted former Texas Tech guard Christian Anderson with the 18th pick of the first round on Tuesday night. The Hornets are also expected to resign veteran Coby White. 

As an aside, I don't know what the Timberwolves are doing trading Naz Reid for Ball, whom I just don't get as a player. Sure, the numbers look good, but he is more of a social media darling than an NBA superstar. After just resigning Ayo Dosunmu, Minnesota getting Ball makes no sense for me. He is just not a winner in my book.  Oh well! 

Best wishes to Humrichous and Boswell with the next steps of their basketball playing careers. 

The Illinois Fighting Illini  men's basketball team continue to add to its ridiculous non-conference schedule, with a game against North Carolina officially announced earlier today. 

The Illini will be playing North Carolina in a neutral-site game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee on Saturday, January 30, 2027. 

Illinois played in Nashville last season, defeating the Tennessee Volunteers on December 6, 2025. Of course, Tomislav Ivisic made this victory even more memorable, smashing the acoustic guitar presented to the Illini after the game. For me, this game was when I realized Keaton Wagler was not going to be around Champaign for more than one season

In addition to North Carolina, Illnois has non-conference games scheduled for next season against Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium, against Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas, and versus UCONN at the United Center in early December. 

Illinois and North Carolina have not played since the 2010-11 season, when the Illini defeated the Tar Heels at the Assembly Hall as part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Illinois won three of four games against North Carolina during the old Big Ten/ACC Challenge, with victories in 2002, 2005 and 2010. Of course, Illinois lost to UNC in Greensboro as part of the 2003 Big Ten/ACC Challenge, and we all know what happened during the 2005 National Championship Game. 

Illinois and North Carolina are 4-4 against each other in the eight all-time meetings between the two programs, with next January's game a chance for the Illini to take the series lead. Of course, Illinois nearly met Carolina in the second round of last year's tournament before the Tar Heels blew a big lead late in the second half against VCU. 

Here are seven of the eight meetings between the two programs. Unfortunately, I do not have footage of the first game between the schools, an 86-66 Illinois victory at Huff Gym on Thursday, December 20, 1951. :-) 

After recently finishing the list of my 30 favorite Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball players during my 30-year fandom, I thought it would be interesting to break down these players by positions. 

Remember this list began with players on the 1996-1997 Illinois team, the season my fandom for the Fighting Illini really took shape. 

Positions have been determined based upon how I viewed each player at Illinois with the following scale: 

5 - Center
4- Power Forward
3 - Small Forward 
2 - Shooting Guard 
1 - Point Guard 

With this in mind, here is the breakdown by position, with the power forward spot finishing at the top with 8 of my 30 favorite Illinois men's basketball players of my 30-year fandom.

1. Power Forward (8 of 30)
T2 - Small Forward (7 of 30)  
T2- Shooting Guard (7 of 30)
4. Center - (5 of 30)
5. Point Guard (3 of 30). 

Make the jump to see where my 30 favorite Illinois men's basketball players of my 30-year fandom landed position-wise. 

5- Center (5): 
#21 Dain Dainja. 
#18 Tomislav Ivisic. 
#17 Robert Archibald.
#14 Marcus Griffin.
#6 James Augustine.

4- Power Forward (8):
#30 Morez Johnson Jr. 
#29 Marcus Arnold. 
#26 Mike Davis.
#23 Tyler Griffey. 
#20 Jack Ingram.
#10 David Mirkovic. 
#9 Damir Krupalija. 
#1 Roger Powell Jr. 

3 - Small Forward  (7): 
#28 Matthew Mayer.
#24 D.J. Richardson. 
#22 Will Riley. 
#13 Sergio McClain. 
#11 Lucas Johnson. 
#8 Terrence Shannon Jr. 
#4 Luther Head. 

2 -Shooting Guard  (7): 
#27 Kevin Turner. 
#25 Trent Frazier. 
#19 Marcus Domask. 
 #16 Brandon Paul. 
#12 Alfonso Plummer.
#5 Cory Bradford.
#3 Dee Brown. 

1 - Point Guard  (3): 
#15 Frankie Williams. 
#7 Keaton Wagler. 
#2 Deron Williams. 

It's official! 

Keaton Wagler has been selected by the Los Angeles Clippers with the fifth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft! 

This is where I was hoping Keaton would end up way back when the lottery was announced. 

I am glad the Clippers chose Wagler over Darius Acuff and Mikel Brown, the only two guys who could have slipped ahead of Keaton. In fact, the Brooklyn Nets have just drafted Brown and the Kings have taken Acuff. While Brown and Acuff are better athletes, Wagler is the better overall player. 

Wagler deserved to land somewhere other than Brooklyn, where careers go to die in my humble opinion, and Sacramento, which has an amazing fan base but a less-than-stellar organization. 

Los Angeles was the best landing spot for Wagler, who has had a meteoric rise during the past calendar year, from three-star recruit to top-five draft pick. 

In just one season in Champaign, Wagler led Illinois back to the Final Four and became my 7th favorite Illini of my 30-year fandom, which I am sure will rise with time. :-) 

Congratulations to Keaton and the Wagler family, and best wishes in Los Angeles! 

In other news, former Illinois power forward Morez Johnson Jr. was drafted ninth overall by the Dallas Mavericks and his former Head Coach at Michigan, Dusty May, who was just hired by the organization yesterday. 

Whatever you think of Morez after leaving Illinois for Michigan, the kid is an absolute beast on the basketball court. May taking Morez instead of his former Michigan players Yaxel Lendeborg and Aday Mara reveals a lot about whom he thought was the most important player on the Wolverines last season. 

A frontline of Cooper Flagg and Johnson is quite imposing and promising for the Mavericks. In my opinion, this was the shrewdest pick of the first round beyond the no brainers. 

With that in mind, you have to give credit to Illinois for surviving the loss of a top-10 pick in Johnson with the addition of David Mirkovic last season. 

Back to Wagler, he is the highest Illinois draft pick since Deron Williams was selected third overall by the Utah Jazz during the 2005 NBA Draft.

Illinois has now had first-round picks in three straight drafts, with Kasparas Jakucionis and Will Riley selected #20th and #21st overall by the Miami Heat and Washington Wizards during the 2025 NBA Draft, and Terrence Shannon Jr. selected 27th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2024 NBA Draft. 

Of course, Jakucionis is now headed to Milwaukee as part of the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade to the Miami Heat last night. The Bucks drafted Arizona guard Brayden Burries with the tenth overall pick, another reason why I am skeptical that Milwaukee is the best fit for Kasparas.