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Let's continue with my countdown of my 30 favorite Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball players of my fandom, spanning from the 1996-97 season until present day. Here are numbers 30-16.
Arguably the most talented Illinois basketball player I have ever seen, Frank Williams is my 15th favorite Illini of my 30-year-fandom.
When engaged and on his game, Williams was pretty much unstoppable, a wizard with the basketball, able to get to the rim at will, hit the three, get his teammates involved while running the Illini offense, and defend like a grown-ass man.
Don't believe me?
Watch these highlights of Williams against Purdue during the 2001 Big Ten Tournament.
When engaged and on his game, Williams was pretty much unstoppable, a wizard with the basketball, able to get to the rim at will, hit the three, get his teammates involved while running the Illini offense, and defend like a grown-ass man.
Don't believe me?
Watch these highlights of Williams against Purdue during the 2001 Big Ten Tournament.
Or these highlights against Iowa during his last season in Champaign.
Or even these highlights of Williams as a rookie in the NBA going at it with Jason Kidd during the first round of the playoffs.
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An absolutely fearless basketball player, Williams was one of the more clutch players in Illinois history, hitting big shot after big shot, with his buzzer beater as a freshman against Ohio State and his gliding layup at Minnesota to help secure a Big Ten title as a junior especially standing out.
A legendary member of a Peoria Manual team that won four straight state championships in the nineties, Williams sat out a year before joining fellow Rams' Sergio McClain and Marcus Griffin for two seasons together in Champaign.
As a redshirt sophomore during the 2000-01 season, Williams was the Big Ten Player of the Year, leading the #1 seed Illini all the way to the Elite Eight. During the Sweet Sixteen, Williams absolutely destroyed Kirk Hinrich and Kansas, much to the glee of freshman me, who watched this game at Murphy's on Green Street while getting introduced to Long Island Ice Teas for the first time in my life. After those drinks were done with me, and Williams was done with Kansas, he had put up 30 points during an absolutely dominating performance that had Illinois dreaming of its first Final Four since 1989.
On a loaded Illini team featuring McClain, Griffin, Corey Bradford, Brian Cook, Lucas Johnson, Damir Krupalija, Robert Archibald, Sean Harrington and others, Williams was the star of stars for first year Head Coach Bill Self. In my opinion that 2000-01 Illinois squad is the deepest and most talented Illini team I have watched, one that was deserving of a Final Four appearance and would give the 2004-05 team a run for its money.
Sometimes looking bored on the court, Williams could be maddening with his inconsistency from game to game, though there is no questioning his greatness. Honestly, Williams probably should have left Illinois after the 2000-01 season when his stock was at its highest. Williams announced prior to the 2001-02 season that it would be his last in Champaign, and he seemed to have one foot in and one foot out at times that year.
The preseason #1 team by The Sporting News, Williams and the 2001-02 Illinois team did not live up to expectations for various reasons, including the graduations of McClain and Griffin, injuries to Johnson and Krupalija, inconsistency, and even a little bit of boredom, failing to get up for some games, having been there and done that as upperclassmen.
However, when that season was spiraling, Williams proved to be a savior, hitting a big three to defeat Michigan State on the road and gliding for the game winner during the improbable comeback against Minnesota, ultimately helping Illinois recover to earn a four seed and Sweet Sixteen appearance.
Even in his final game, the Sweet Sixteen defeat to Kansas, Williams was not afraid to take the shot with the game on the line, unfortunately missing a baseline jumper that would have propelled Illinois into overtime.
For a program that has produced Derek Harper, Deron Williams and Keaton Wagler, Frank Williams is arguably, pound for pound, the best point guard to ever play for the Illini, at least at the collegiate level.
Not many could do with a basketball what Frank could do, with his overall greatness sometimes forgotten because of his ups and downs on the court.
Upon years of reflection, it is clear that Frank Williams was a truly special talent, one who was not always appreciated in the moment but certainly was a treat to witness in the Orange and Blue, with his Illini career coming full circle as his son Damonte played five seasons at Illinois and helped get the program back on the right track.
A legendary member of a Peoria Manual team that won four straight state championships in the nineties, Williams sat out a year before joining fellow Rams' Sergio McClain and Marcus Griffin for two seasons together in Champaign.
As a redshirt sophomore during the 2000-01 season, Williams was the Big Ten Player of the Year, leading the #1 seed Illini all the way to the Elite Eight. During the Sweet Sixteen, Williams absolutely destroyed Kirk Hinrich and Kansas, much to the glee of freshman me, who watched this game at Murphy's on Green Street while getting introduced to Long Island Ice Teas for the first time in my life. After those drinks were done with me, and Williams was done with Kansas, he had put up 30 points during an absolutely dominating performance that had Illinois dreaming of its first Final Four since 1989.
On a loaded Illini team featuring McClain, Griffin, Corey Bradford, Brian Cook, Lucas Johnson, Damir Krupalija, Robert Archibald, Sean Harrington and others, Williams was the star of stars for first year Head Coach Bill Self. In my opinion that 2000-01 Illinois squad is the deepest and most talented Illini team I have watched, one that was deserving of a Final Four appearance and would give the 2004-05 team a run for its money.
Sometimes looking bored on the court, Williams could be maddening with his inconsistency from game to game, though there is no questioning his greatness. Honestly, Williams probably should have left Illinois after the 2000-01 season when his stock was at its highest. Williams announced prior to the 2001-02 season that it would be his last in Champaign, and he seemed to have one foot in and one foot out at times that year.
The preseason #1 team by The Sporting News, Williams and the 2001-02 Illinois team did not live up to expectations for various reasons, including the graduations of McClain and Griffin, injuries to Johnson and Krupalija, inconsistency, and even a little bit of boredom, failing to get up for some games, having been there and done that as upperclassmen.
However, when that season was spiraling, Williams proved to be a savior, hitting a big three to defeat Michigan State on the road and gliding for the game winner during the improbable comeback against Minnesota, ultimately helping Illinois recover to earn a four seed and Sweet Sixteen appearance.
Even in his final game, the Sweet Sixteen defeat to Kansas, Williams was not afraid to take the shot with the game on the line, unfortunately missing a baseline jumper that would have propelled Illinois into overtime.
For a program that has produced Derek Harper, Deron Williams and Keaton Wagler, Frank Williams is arguably, pound for pound, the best point guard to ever play for the Illini, at least at the collegiate level.
Not many could do with a basketball what Frank could do, with his overall greatness sometimes forgotten because of his ups and downs on the court.
Upon years of reflection, it is clear that Frank Williams was a truly special talent, one who was not always appreciated in the moment but certainly was a treat to witness in the Orange and Blue, with his Illini career coming full circle as his son Damonte played five seasons at Illinois and helped get the program back on the right track.
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