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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 30-21.
It was mid October of 2000. I was a freshman at the U-of-I, barely getting up in time to rush over to Memorial Stadium to watch Illinois play Iowa at 11:00 a.m. Quarterback Kurt Kittner and the Illini would beat a Hawkeyes team quarterbacked by Jon Beutjer, who would transfer to Illinois after the season.
Ultimately, the football game was not that memorable, with Illinois controlling the game from opening kickoff. Honestly, I only went so I could get into the Assembly Hall afterward as the Illinois men's basketball team was holding a free scrimmage for fans. As this was Head Coach Bill Self's first season with the program and the team looked stacked on paper, I couldn't wait to see the Illini intrasquad exhibition.
While arriving at the Assembly Hall and finding a seat as close to courtside as possible, I overheard a conversation between two older students who seemed to be in the loop about Illinois basketball recruiting. The topic of their conversation was Eddy Curry, the highly touted prep center from Thornwood, Illinois.
"Well, it looks like Eddy Curry is going to end up at DePaul," one of the kids said. Of course, Curry would bypass college and get drafted #4 overall by the Chicago Bulls during the 2001 NBA Draft.
"Yeah, that's what I heard as well," the other kid responded. "I am hearing that Coach Self is going to get a big man from Tulsa who is supposed to be good."
With this "inside information," I waited to see if a Tulsa player would be transferring to Illinois after this season.
Of course, nothing would materialize following the 2001-01 season, during which Illinois earned a #1 seed and advanced to the Elite Eight, losing to Arizona.
However, after the 2001-02 season, a Tulsa transfer did arrive by the name of Jack Ingram, who would have to sit out Self's third and last season at Illinois.
By the time Ingram was eligible to play at Illinois, Self had jettisoned to Kansas and Bruce Weber would be hired from Southern Illinois.
Assuming Ingram was the Tulsa player these kids had been talking about three seasons ago, I eagerly anticipated watching the big man during Midnight Madness kicking off the 2003-04 season.
Watching on television from my apartment, I remember one of the commentators saying something to the effect that he thinks Jack Ingram will be a surprise on this year's team.
Honestly, from what I saw of Ingram in the scrimmage, I wasn't too sure about that. Nothing stood out to me.
Ingram's first season with the Illini would see him get some minutes as a backup big, though there were no moments that truly stood out.
However, as a senior, Ingram would cement himself as one of my favorite Illini of my 30-year fandom.
Prior to the start of that memorable 2004-05 season, I was drinking with some buddies on a Thursday night at Legends when Ingram and Nick Smith walked in with a few girls and stood by our table.
Suddenly, the 7'2'' Smith decided to sit on the ledge next to our table, with his posterior hanging over our table.
"Hey Nick," one of my buddies said. "We love you and all, but would you mind not hanging over our table."
Smith nodded, and all was good the rest of the night.
As for the 6'10" Ingram, he was a very underrated part of the 04-05 Illini that started 29-0, bringing great energy off the bench.
Most notably, Ingram kept Illinois unbeaten with his heroics at Wisconsin that season, hitting two big threes in the second half of that raucous game at the Kohl Center.
Missing a tooth at the time, Ingram gained the nickname "Wolfman Jack" from my brother and me, as we loved the power forward's tenacity that season. Ingram would come into games with little fear and let it all hang out, displaying a soft shooting touch from the inside and outside and providing clean, physical defense.
Of course, Ingram got better as the season progressed, really stepping up during the tournament. His deflection against Arizona led to Deron Williams' game-tying three at the end of regulation during the Elite Eight classic.
Ingram was especially huge during the national championship game when James Augustine was basically not allowed to play due to foul trouble. Ingram hit several big jumpers during the second half to keep Illinois in the game with the Tar Heels.
By the time Illinois lost to North Carolina, that 2004-05 team was more than just an amazing starting lineup with a couple of bench players like Ingram, Smith, Rich McBride and Warren Carter. In the case of Ingram, he had established himself as a key cog, the sixth man of the most dominant Illini team I have ever seen.
For a kid I didn't think much of at the time he came to Illinois, Ingram truly proved to be a solid player and lovable goofball on the court.
I wish Ingram could have played at least one more season with the Illini, as it would have been fun to see him start with Augustine and Brown in 2005-06. Ultimately, whenever I think of Ingram, I smile as he was just an enjoyable player and great teammate on the best Illinois team I have ever seen.
Below are highlights of Ingram's major contributions against Wisconsin, Arizona and North Carolina.
Ultimately, the football game was not that memorable, with Illinois controlling the game from opening kickoff. Honestly, I only went so I could get into the Assembly Hall afterward as the Illinois men's basketball team was holding a free scrimmage for fans. As this was Head Coach Bill Self's first season with the program and the team looked stacked on paper, I couldn't wait to see the Illini intrasquad exhibition.
While arriving at the Assembly Hall and finding a seat as close to courtside as possible, I overheard a conversation between two older students who seemed to be in the loop about Illinois basketball recruiting. The topic of their conversation was Eddy Curry, the highly touted prep center from Thornwood, Illinois.
"Well, it looks like Eddy Curry is going to end up at DePaul," one of the kids said. Of course, Curry would bypass college and get drafted #4 overall by the Chicago Bulls during the 2001 NBA Draft.
"Yeah, that's what I heard as well," the other kid responded. "I am hearing that Coach Self is going to get a big man from Tulsa who is supposed to be good."
With this "inside information," I waited to see if a Tulsa player would be transferring to Illinois after this season.
Of course, nothing would materialize following the 2001-01 season, during which Illinois earned a #1 seed and advanced to the Elite Eight, losing to Arizona.
However, after the 2001-02 season, a Tulsa transfer did arrive by the name of Jack Ingram, who would have to sit out Self's third and last season at Illinois.
By the time Ingram was eligible to play at Illinois, Self had jettisoned to Kansas and Bruce Weber would be hired from Southern Illinois.
Assuming Ingram was the Tulsa player these kids had been talking about three seasons ago, I eagerly anticipated watching the big man during Midnight Madness kicking off the 2003-04 season.
Watching on television from my apartment, I remember one of the commentators saying something to the effect that he thinks Jack Ingram will be a surprise on this year's team.
Honestly, from what I saw of Ingram in the scrimmage, I wasn't too sure about that. Nothing stood out to me.
Ingram's first season with the Illini would see him get some minutes as a backup big, though there were no moments that truly stood out.
However, as a senior, Ingram would cement himself as one of my favorite Illini of my 30-year fandom.
Prior to the start of that memorable 2004-05 season, I was drinking with some buddies on a Thursday night at Legends when Ingram and Nick Smith walked in with a few girls and stood by our table.
Suddenly, the 7'2'' Smith decided to sit on the ledge next to our table, with his posterior hanging over our table.
"Hey Nick," one of my buddies said. "We love you and all, but would you mind not hanging over our table."
Smith nodded, and all was good the rest of the night.
As for the 6'10" Ingram, he was a very underrated part of the 04-05 Illini that started 29-0, bringing great energy off the bench.
Most notably, Ingram kept Illinois unbeaten with his heroics at Wisconsin that season, hitting two big threes in the second half of that raucous game at the Kohl Center.
Missing a tooth at the time, Ingram gained the nickname "Wolfman Jack" from my brother and me, as we loved the power forward's tenacity that season. Ingram would come into games with little fear and let it all hang out, displaying a soft shooting touch from the inside and outside and providing clean, physical defense.
Of course, Ingram got better as the season progressed, really stepping up during the tournament. His deflection against Arizona led to Deron Williams' game-tying three at the end of regulation during the Elite Eight classic.
Ingram was especially huge during the national championship game when James Augustine was basically not allowed to play due to foul trouble. Ingram hit several big jumpers during the second half to keep Illinois in the game with the Tar Heels.
By the time Illinois lost to North Carolina, that 2004-05 team was more than just an amazing starting lineup with a couple of bench players like Ingram, Smith, Rich McBride and Warren Carter. In the case of Ingram, he had established himself as a key cog, the sixth man of the most dominant Illini team I have ever seen.
For a kid I didn't think much of at the time he came to Illinois, Ingram truly proved to be a solid player and lovable goofball on the court.
I wish Ingram could have played at least one more season with the Illini, as it would have been fun to see him start with Augustine and Brown in 2005-06. Ultimately, whenever I think of Ingram, I smile as he was just an enjoyable player and great teammate on the best Illinois team I have ever seen.
Below are highlights of Ingram's major contributions against Wisconsin, Arizona and North Carolina.
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