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Here's how former Illini fared during NBA Summer League games played yesterday, Monday, July 13, 2026.
 | Justin Harmon
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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!
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 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
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: 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
Well, the Milwaukee Bucks have finally traded Giannis Antetokounmpo, sending the Greek forward and veteran Bobby Portis to the Miami Heat for a rather underwhelming return including former Illinois men's basketball player Kasparas Jakucionis. In exchange for Antetokoummpo and Portis, Milwaukee will be receiving Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Jakucionis and three first round picks, including the 13th overall pick in Tuesday's NBA Draft. Milwaukee now has the 10th and 13th picks in the NBA Draft. For the Bucks, it was long past time to trade Antetokounmpo, who restored the franchise to relevancy and helped bring the organization's first championship in 40 years, with a 4-2 series victory against the Phoenix Suns during the 2021 NBA Finals. Unfortunately, the Bucks have been an underachieving mess since that title, and I have little faith in General Manager Jon Horst and owner Jimmy Haslam to get the franchise back on track. Milwaukee apparently had to have Jakucionis in the deal, which would seem promising for his career. Like I just wrote, I just don't have faith in what the Bucks are doing, though I certainly wish Jakucionis the very best and believe he can be a solid player in the NBA. As a rookie with the Heat last season, Jakucionis averaged 6.2 points, 5.2 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game in 52 contests. As was the case during his lone season at Illinois, Kasparas is a guy who does a little bit of everything. Whether it's with the Bucks or another team in time, Jakucionis just needs to keep grinding. The city of Milwaukee enjoys lunch-pail players so Kasparas and Jaquez Jr. could become fan favorites with their effort. The NBA is a very hard product to watch, though I always root for the very best for former Illini like KJ.
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 which head coaches they played for. Remember this list began with players on the 1996-1997 Illinois team, the season my fandom for the Fighting Illini really took shape. With this in mind, here are the rankings:
Make the jump to see which of my 30 favorite Illinois men's basketball players of the last 30 years played for each Illini Head Coach.
Here is my final list of my 30 favorite Illinois men's basketball players of my 30-year fandom.
I had a great time writing the past few months about these favorite Illini players of my fandom. I am sure this list will change with time as the final selections were not easy. In fact, I am planning to break down this list in more detail and include my honorable mentions, of which there were many, including many of the Illini greats I grew up watching more in the NBA than in the Orange and Blue. In the meantime, enjoy this video.
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 30-2.
One thing I have always loved about college basketball is how the sport has the room for the tweener, those in-between players who don't quite have a position but somehow make it work with skill and intelligence. As a player myself, I was a bit of a tweener, not the most athetic guy but someone who had to learn how play the one through the four, to do the little things that make a difference, to be a glue guy. With this in mind, it should be no surprise that Roger Powell Jr. is my favorite Illinois basketball player of my 30-year fandom. Never a go-to guy on any of the four Illinois teams he played for, Powell was the ultimate tweener and glue guy, a 6'6'' forward who shifted from the three to the four spot by the time his Illini career ended. From the first time I ever saw Powell play for the Illini, I knew I was going to like this kid the next four years. It was early January 2002, and Powell was a freshman buried on a deep and experienced Illinois team. During a raucous road game at Wisconsin, the Illini's first against Bo Ryan, whom I instantly disliked after watching his theatrics on the sideline, Powell was inserted late in the first half to steal some minutes. Immediately, Powell came up with an offensive board, where he was surrounded by several bigger Badgers. Somehow, someway, Powell manuevered himself to put up a twisting, acrobatic layup that went off the glass and down the hoop. While Illinois would get upset at Wisconsin that afternoon, Powell had left an impression in my mind: This kid had some ability. Dealing with some injuries at the start of his sophomore season, Powell seemed like he couldn't get his Illini career going. In fact, I remember playing some pickup basketball at IMPE, with one of my friends dropping this question: "Are we sure Roger Powell is even good?" "Hell yeah, he is good," I responded, basing my knowledge off the one play I had seen Powell make against Wisconsin. Eventually, Powell got healthy and slid into the three position with the 2002-03 Illini starting senior Brian Cook and freshman James Augustine at power forward and center. Powell especially stood out to me as Illinois won the Big Ten Tournament championship game, showcasing an ability to drive from the wing to the hoop, finish at the rim and even keep the defense honest with his shooting ability. What I always loved about Powell was that he didn't need a lot of touches to score; in fact, he is one of the most efficient Illini players I have ever watched. As a junior, Powell actually came off the bench early in the season as Bruce Weber tried to start Nick Smith and Augustine together. Eventually, Powell was inserted as an undersized four, and Illinois began to take off late in the season. Following an incredible second-round performance from Deron Williams against Cincinnati, Powell kept Illinois alive during a Sweet Sixteen loss to Duke. As I watched this game back home in Chicago during spring break, my Dad paid Powell the ultimate compliment as the junior forward kept scoring against Duke with his mid-range, face-up jumper. "Man you were right, Chris," my Dad said. "This Powell kid is really good." I had been championing Powell's abilities to anyone I could for the past three seasons, and people were starting to see the light. After testing the NBA Draft waters following his junior season, Powell ultimately returned to Illinois for his final campaign, teaming up with Augustine to do the dirty work down low as the Illini perimeter of Williams, Dee Brown and Luther Head got a lot of the shine. Like he always did, Powell just fit in on that team, scoring when providing the opportunity, rebounding and playing sound defense. While occasionally forgotten in the Illinois offense, Powell never complained and continued to be an efficient player. At this point Powell had discovered his faith, going by the nickname "The Reverend" and playing with a higher purpose than individual statistics. Now, of course, when involved in the offense, Powell would produce. There was no greater moment for me as a Powell fan than during the 2005 Final Four against Louisville. With the Cardinals giving Illinois a tough game, Powell absolutely took over in the early minutes of the second half, hitting a three and then following up a missed three from the top of the key with a two-hand slam. Without the heroics of Powell, who scored 20 points on 9-for-13 from the field, Illinois likely does not get past Louisville. Sadly, with Augustine mired in questionable foul trouble during the National Championship Game against North Carolina, the undersized Powell had to guard Tar Heels' bowling ball Sean May, who proved to be the difference against Illinois. Of course, Sports Illustrated commemorated UNC's title with a front cover showing May running through Powell, the story of the night for the Illini. While the 2004-05 Illini fell one game short, I was certain that Williams, Head and Powell would be rewarded with selections in the 2005 NBA Draft. While Williams and Head would go in the first round, Powell would go undrafted, much to my disappointment. To me Powell was a classic second-round sleeper, a guy who could play in the NBA. Ultimately, Powell would do just that, signing as an undrafted free agent with the Utah Jazz, teaming up with Williams for a brief stay of just three games. A couple of years later, when Derrick Rose was a rookie on the Bulls, Powell was on Chicago's preseason roster. In fact, the Bulls had just played Williams and the Jazz the prior night at the Assembly Hall in Champaign when Powell was inserted late into the next night's game back at the United Center. In typical Powell fashion, "The Reverend" produced immediately, hitting a three and getting fouled for a four-point play. Ultimately, Powell would spend some time with the Rockford Lightning, where he played with Chicago high school legend Ronnie Fields, and eventually get into coaching. After being an assistant at Vanderbilt and Gonzaga, including on the team's 2021 runner-up team, Powell has been the Head Coach at Valparaiso. Powell will be entering his fourth season with the Crusaders, a program I hope he can get to an NCAA Tournament. As Illinois made the Final Four this past tournament, it was great to see Powell on local newscasts, talking about the current Illini squad and reliving the glory days of the 2004-05 team. Powell has always come off as a class act and a great ambassador for Illinois basketball. In a pickup game, Roger Powell Jr. might not have been the first or even second guy selected. However, smart people would know that Powell should be picked shortly thereafter, as he was the do-it-all guy who was happy to play his role to perfection. For once, Roger Powell Jr. is going number one, as my favorite Illini basketball player of my 30-year fandom. Powell was certainly not the greatest or most talented Illini of all those years; however, he was just an intelligent, highly efficient, productive player who impacted winning in so many ways and always made a positive impact on the court. In my book, it means a lot to be a glue guy, someone who doesn't have a big ego and does whatever it takes to win. To me, Powell is the greatest glue guy I have seen in an Illinois uniform, an enjoyable and relatable player, an overachiever who was much more talented than people realized or gave him credit for!
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 30-6.
After finishing 3-13 in the Big Ten during the 1998-99 season, the Illinois men's basketball team made an improbable run to the conference's postseason tournament championship game, ultimately losing to a Michigan State team that would make the Final Four. In a losing effort, Illinois redshirt freshman Cory Bradford, my fifth favorite Illinois men's basketball player of my 30-year fandom, scored 21 points, finishing off an incredible season during which he was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year. At the conclusion of his redshirt freshman season, Bradford looked to me like he would be a superstar by the time his college career was over. During his first two seasons under Head Coach Lon Kruger, Bradford played a lot with the ball in his hands, able to attack off the bounce and take difficult shots while proving to be a marksmen from deep. During that rough freshman season, Bradford was one of the few bright spots and constants for a very young Illini team, averaging 15.4 points and nearly 3 made threes per game (2.7 to be exact). As reinforcements came to Champaign his sophomore season, including Frank Williams, Marcus Griffin and Brian Cook, Bradford still carried himself as the go-to-guy on the Illini. Though playing more off ball, Bradford still proved to be an explosive scorer with the ball in or out of his hands. As a sophomore Bradford averaged 15.3 points and 3 made threes per game. Through his first two seasons, Bradford made a three-pointer in every game he played, with none bigger than the last-second corner trey he hit to knock Indiana out of the 2000 Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals. By his junior season, Bradford set the NCAA record for most consecutive games making a three pointer, 74, during a contentious victory against Arizona at the United Center. Eventually, Bradford's three-point record began to feel like a bit of an albatross, with it eventually being snapped at 88 games during a last-second home victory against Wisconsin made famous by a Marcus Griffin layup with under a second remaining. During his last two seasons with the Illini, Bradford played a different role under new Head Coach Bill Self, who turned the offense over to Williams. While not as explosive of a scorer, Bradford settled in and usually came up big when the Illini needed him most. During an Elite Eight loss to Arizona in the 2001 NCAA Tournament, Bradford hit six threes to finish with 22 points, second behind a surprising 25-point performance from Robert Archibald. The prior NCAA Tournament Bradford scored 27 points, including hitting 5 out of 10 threes, during a second round loss to Florida. As a senior Bradford seemed to have lost some lift on his shot from a knee injury that bugged him throughout his junior season. Still he bounced back to score 11.6 points per game as a senior after dropping to 9.9 as a junior. Ultimately, Bradford never became the superstar I thought he would be, though he was a rock for the Illini during four seasons. With the exception of playing one game off the bench during the 1997-98 season before deciding to redshirt, Bradford started in every Illinois game from his redshirt freshman to his senior seasons, 134 games to be exact! While Williams may have been an iceman for Illinois when taking a shot with the game on the line, Bradford was always someone I thought was going to make his next shot. From unflappable scorer to veteran role player, Bradford defined durability and stability, always playing with a big heart and calm demeanor as Illinois soared to new heights as a basketball program. It's a damn shame that Bradford never got to play in a Final Four with that deep and talented crew of Williams, Griffin, Cook, Archibald, Sergio McClain, Damir Krupalija and Sean Harrington. Before the Assembly Hall was serenaded with the drawn-out "That's a three......Dee......Brown," there was nothing better than hearing the much more concise, "That's a three...Cory Bradford!"
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 30-8.
In the grand scheme of things, Illinois has had more talented and highly-regarded freshmen than Keaton Wagler, my 7th favorite Illinois men's basketball player of my 30-year fandom, though the program will never see another freshman season like the one Wagler just provided. As Wagler continues his amazing journey this last calendar year, from three-star recruit to one-and-done in Champaign to likely top-five NBA Draft pick in a few weeks, there is not much to say but "Thank you and good luck Keaton." You were a truly special, once-in-a-lifetime player, leading Illinois to the Final Four for the first time in 21 seasons. Please read the following post to understand why Wagler cemented himself as one of my favorite Illini of all time: Wagler will surely climb higher on this list with time, definitely at some point next season when I inevitably think, "Man, I wish Wagler was still on this team" or "Things aren't just the same without Keaton." In those moments I might have to turn to these videos below to relive Wagler's incredible season at Illinois and cope with the fact that he is no longer around to save the Illini when needed. :-)
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 30-9.
I can write all day long about the on-court accomplishments of my eighth favorite Illinois men's basketball player of my 30-year fandom, Terrence Shannon Jr. Simply look at Shannon's scoring run late during his super senior season with the Illini, scoring:
What I want to write about is Shannon the human, how he revealed himself to be a person of great character during the most difficult of circumstances. Amazingly, none of the above on-court performances seemed possible after Shannon was suspended from the Illini basketball team earlier that December after serious criminal charges were filed against him. In the moment the charges against Shannon seemed surreal, questionable and impossible, as Terrence had always come off as such a respectful, positive and soft-spoken man. Over time such charges, which should never be discounted in terms of the seriousness and impact on victims, proved in a court of law to be trumped up and flimsy, if you could even go that far. Regardless of how those charges affected Shannon's playing career, they could have forever changed his character. Shannon did not let that happen, doing more than just setting a single-season Illinois scoring record of 737 points but showing the power of perseverance, positivity and honesty. While leading the Illini to the Elite Eight, Shannon most importantly led by example, showing others how to handle adversity, compartmentalizing his life on and off the court in a way that not many adults can do. Beyond being a great basketball player, Shannon has to be in my top-10 list simply based upon his character, which was never more apparent than during his tumultuous last season and ensuing jersey-retirement ceremony. Somehow, Shannon's banner was upside down when it was revealed, an embarrassing situation that was trivial in the grand scheme of things. Rather than making a stink, Shannon simply laughed off the moment, taking it for what it is.  Here's what it is in regards to TSJ Jr. When his reputation and character were being driven through the mud, Terrence rose above the muck, staying true to himself, working harder than ever before, and coming out of these unfortunate circumstances a greater player and teammate, and more importantly, a better person!
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 30-10.
Before my 10th favorite Illinois men's basketball player of my 30-year fandom, David Mirkovic, could walk, my 9th favorite Illini, Damir Krupalija, had to crawl. In many ways Mirkovic and Krupalija were quite similar players, four men who played with absolutely no fear, whether out on the perimeter or in the paint, and could stroke the ball from deep. Out of Rockford Boylan High School, Krupalija was a bit of an under-the-radar recruit for Lon Kruger's Illini at a time when Illinois high school basketball was absolutely loaded. While I remember reading that some kid named Krupalija was going to Illinois, I don't remember him being listed as one of the top high school basketball players in the Chicago Sun-Times at the time. On a rebuilding Illinois team that lost 13 games in conference, a freshman Krupalija was someone I loved instantly, always playing hard, sometimes to his detriment with a little too much reckless abandon. Next to Cory Bradford, Krupaljia was my favorite player on that 1998-99 Illinois team. I especially remember a cold Sunday in January of 1999 when Krupalija played well during an Illinois loss at Indiana, with CBS announcer Billy Packer impressed by Damir's lack of fear. It was clear that the potential was certainly there with Krupalija, who was like a piece of clay that needed to be molded. After starting his fair share of games as a freshman, including during the Illini's surprising run to the Big Ten Tournament title game, Krupalija came off the bench for much of his last three seasons as Illinois had a loaded frontline of Marcus Griffin and Brian Cook. Always providing instant energy and physicality, Krupalija certainly made the most of his minutes, never hesitant to take an open shot, crash the glass, and get up into an opponent. An energizer bunny and wreckling ball, Krupalija was a key reserve on the 2000-01 Illinois team that was so deep that fellow juniors Lucas Johnson and Robert Archibald were also reserves. Krupalija especially stood out during the championship game of the Maui Invitational that season, a loss to Arizona during which he rallied the Illini late in the first half with his defensive activity in the passing lanes and recklessness going to the hoop. Apparently, Krupalija was named the MVP of the Illini's 2001-02 preseason tournament in Las Vegas, during which the Illini beat Southern Illinois. I totally did not know this fact, as these games were not televised from what I could remember. Sadly, Krupalija got hurt late during his senior season during a Super Bowl Sunday loss at home to Michigan State. While able to return for the NCAA Tournament, the oft-injured Krupalija was clearly limited physically. Unfortunately, Johnson suffered a similar fate his last season with Illinois. Ultimately, Krupalija was a starting-caliber big who accepted his role off the bench on the deepest Illini teams I have ever seen. Illinois fans could always count on Damir bringing energy and impacting the game in some positive way, whether hitting a shot, hustling down a rebound or annoying an opponent with a hard yet clean foul. Looking at my last three Illinois favorite players in #11 Johnson, #10 Mirkovic and #9 Krupalija, several themes emerge:
To me, Krupalija was all of the above and more, a very talented and underrated player who got overshadowed on a team full of stars but always provided an emotional lift and played his role to perfection. Whenever Damir stepped on the court, one thing was guaranteed: the game was about to get a whole lot more interesting.
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 30-12.
Back in 1998, I was a sophomore in high school, languishing on the bench of my school's junior varsity basketball team coached by Gene Heidkamp, the now accomplished head coach at Benet Academy. Despite not playing much, I was a basketball fanatic, playing any time I got the opportunity to and reading about and watching as much NBA, college and high school basketball as possible. As a student at an all-boys school, I think basketball was my means for coping not being around girls that often. Anyway, Illinois high school basketball was quite incredible during this time period. Eventual state champion Whitney Young had Quentin Richardson, Dennis Gates and Cordell Henry while defending four-time champion Peoria Manual still had future Illini Frankie Williams. In the Chicago-land area, one player especially stood out to me, Fenwick's man-child Corey Maggette, a senior who would go to Duke for one season before getting drafted by the Seattle Supersonics and traded to the Orlando Magic for Horace Grant. At that time in my life, Maggette was the best non-professional basketball player I had ever seen in person. Since eighth grade, I would attend my eventual high school's annual Thanksgiving tournament to see Maggette up close and personal. When I was a freshman, Maggette's Friars knocked out my school in the state playoffs, only to lose to a loaded Thornton team that would eventually be ousted by Williams, Sergio McClain, Marcus Griffin and the rest of Wayne McClain's Peoria Manual juggernaut. During my sophomore year of high school, Fenwick played my school in the title game of our Thanksgiving Tournament, with Maggette having one of the greatest missed dunks I had ever seen. During a tight game early in the third quarter, Maggette took off from the wing for a windmill dunk when some helpless soul on my school's team tried to step in and take a charge. Ultimately, Maggette got a bit undercut, clanking the dunk so hard off the back iron that it shot down all the way to the opposing free throw line. Nearly everyone in the gym gasped in awe at the missed dunk, a projectile missile landing about 70 feet away. Fenwick would go on to win that game and eventually advance downstate, where it would play a Maine West team featuring my 11th favorite Illinois men's basketball player of my 30-year fandom, Lucas Johnson. Maine West had a good team, including an Xavier commit named Kevin Frey who I believe was considered a better recruit than Johnson, headed to Illinois to follow in the footsteps of his brother Brian. Despite having two Division-I players, Maine West was an underdog in my book against Maggette and Fenwick, which had a great point guard named Chris Williams who went to Loyola Chicago and a 6'8'' big man named Jabari Harris who played for UIC. Somehow, someway, Maine West pulled off the upset, with my high school buddy Rich calling me later that weekend to fill me in on the game. Since he was a kid, Rich and his father would drive downstate to watch the IHSA state finals. That Sunday night Rich called me, I had an immediate question for him. "How the hell did Fenwick lose to Maine West?" I asked Rich. "Oh man, Lucas Johnson got under the skin of Maggette all night," Rich responded. "He was flopping all over the place. He was kind of dirty." "Really?" I responded, surprised to hear this about Johnson, whom I had never seen play in high school but had read about in the newspapers. In fact the only time I had seen Johnson on television was as a spectator during an Illinois game that season against Clemson at the United Center. Sitting behind the Illini bench, Johnson was shown several times laughing at his brother Brian, who had made a mistake on the court. Lucas definitely gave off those annoying little brother vibes so I guess I shouldn't have been surprised to hear my buddy Rich's description of him. At Illinois, Johnson could be described as a pest, in the best of ways, though. During either his first or second game as an Illini at Madison Square Garden, Johnson was already generating some controversy, getting interviewed after the game about apparently elbowing an opponent on Wake Forest or Georgetown (sorry, I can't remember). Johnson denied the elbow, which Lon Kruger addressed and said was unacceptable. Ultimately, Lucas Johnson was that guy you loved to have on your team and hated to have as an opponent, unafraid to mix it up. Still, Johnson was not a goon but actually a quite skilled basketball player. While lacking foot speed, Johnson had good positional size, able to play the two through four, and a nice shooting stroke when getting his feet set. As a freshman at Illinois, Johnson started putting it together late in the season during a magical Big Ten Tournament run where the Illini, the worst conference team in the regular season, advanced to the title game before losing to Michigan State. Johnson was huge during the Illini's semifinal upset of an Ohio State team that would make the Final Four, eventually getting named to the Big Ten Tournament's first team. The more I watched Johnson, the more I liked. Essentially, he was the Illini version of Purdue forward Brian Cardinal, a guy I hated on the Boilermakers but would have loved to have at Illinois, where his Dad Rod was the longtime athletic trainer. Simply put, Johnson was a very heady player, someone who would do whatever it takes to win. As a sophomore, Johnson moved from starting shooting guard to starting power forward come the NCAA Tournament. I absolutely loved Johnson's versatility and role as a connecting piece/glue guy. On a loaded Illinois team with stars like Williams, Cory Bradford, Brian Cook and Griffin, Johnson was a game wrecker, similar to his teammates Damir Krupalija and Robert Archibald. Johnson would dive for loose balls, take charges, hit timely shots, play physical defense, and get under the skin of opponents, just like he did to Maggette back in the state playoffs. As a junior, Johnson proved to be a key piece off the bench as Illinois earned a number-one seed and advanced to the Elite Eight to play #2 Arizona, which was the preseason number-one team in many publications. Earlier that season, Illinois had lost to Arizona in Maui before beating the Wildcats at the United Center in December, with Johnson causing his normal havoc and drawing the ire of Lute Olson. I also got to witness Johnson's glorious madness earlier that month during an epic Illini comeback against Seton Hall at the Assembly Hall. During the Elite Eight game, Illinois got behind quickly as Arizona's Gilbert Arenas went off in the first half. However, the Illini would rally in the second half, with Johnson making it seem that Illinois could actually pull off this comeback. As I watched in my dorm room with my aforementioned buddy Rich, Johnson hit two huge threes in the second half to give Illinois brief leads, getting the Illini crowd fired up and propelling Rich and I to run around my dorm room like maniacs. Unfortunately, Illinois would fall short that game, with six players fouling out and Arizona shooting 56 free throws to the Illini's 25. By the way, Johnson's two threes were his only two shots of the game! While the 2000-01 Illinois team was so close to the Final Four, the following season offered much promise with everyone returning except McClain and Griffin. Sadly, things got off to a bad start when Johnson injured his knee during preseason workouts. I remember hearing the rumors on campus at the time, that Johnson had suffered a bad injury, and was devastated to learn this was true. Ultimately, the 2001-02 Illinois team had an up-and-down season, with an early-season loss at eventual national champion Maryland especially embarrassing. Illinois looked outclassed from the jump ball of this game, getting their butts kicked as Johnson watched in street clothes. The next night I actually saw Johnson outside the McDonald's in the six-pack dorms. "What the hell was that last night?" I wanted to ask Lucas, though I kept my mouth shut, best avoiding an elbow or worse from the Illini forward. At one point during the 2001-02 season, I was starting to wonder if this Illinois team could miss the tournament after three straight brutal losses. Of course, that was never a possibility, though losing three games in a row was unthinkable for such a talented squad. Ultimately, the Illini would rally and finish the season strong, with Johnson accelerating his rehab and coming back. Clearly not the same player, Johnson wanted to finish what he started with his Illinois teammates, providing limited minutes off the bench. Sadly, the 2001-02 Illinois team would lose in the Sweet Sixteen to Kansas, with Johnson scoring two points in ten minutes during his final game. Man, how I wanted that group of seniors (Johnson, Bradford, Williams, Krupalija and Archibald) to get to a Final Four! In all honesty, Johnson should have probably taken a medical redshirt his last season, but it is understandable why he didn't. Still, part of me wonders what the 2002-03 Illini team would have looked like with Johnson starting at the three, senior Brian Cook and freshman James Augustine down low and freshmen Deron Williams and Dee Brown in the backcourt. That would have certainly been an even more entertaining team than it already was. Years later, Johnson is still one of the most beloved Illini players for fans of that time period as evident just a few years ago. At the beginning of the 2021-22 season, I attended the Illinois game at Marquette. After Illinois blew the game late, morose Illini fans started filing out in the hallways. Suddenly, the energy changed when fans spotted a very tall man ahead. "Lucas! Lucas!" the crowd shouted out. Johnson turned around with a big smile and waved to the crowd before taking pictures with fans. The last time I heard Johnson was a high school math teacher, which as a teacher myself, makes me incredibly happy to hear. As a player, Johnson was like that annoying kid in class who would get on your nerves but you couldn't get too mad at because of his good nature and talent, in other words, a lovable jerk in the nicest sense of the term. One of the more memorable characters and fiercest players in Illinois basketball history, Lucas Johnson is a player that every team needs, a guy who left it all on the court and yet kept things loose. If you never saw Johnson play for the Illini, I would compare him a bit to David Mirkovic, in terms of not their games but definitely their larger-than-life personalities (and maybe their foot speed, just kidding). Hopefully, the Johnson family legacy will continue at Illinois with his daughter, the highly-rated Liv of Carmel High School, playing for the Illini women's team in a few seasons. It would certainly be great to see Lucas back at the State Farm Center, this time as a proud father as opposed to his playing career as a perpetual spark plug and instigator.
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 30-14.
It's time to complete the Peoria Manual trilogy, with Sergio McClain my 13th favorite Illinois men's basketball player of my 30-year fandom and the perfect bridge for this story about my recreational basketball playing days as a student in Champaign. I was finally getting my chance to prove my basketball playing chops. During the fall of 2001 I was a sophomore playing some pickup ball at IMPE when former Illini basketball player Sergio McClain showed up on the court for a weeknight run. McClain had just finished his storied Illini career the prior March, with Illinois falling one game short of the 2001 Final Four with a loss to Arizona during the Elite Eight. After hearing about McClain's legendary high school career and then watching him be a rock for the Illini for four seasons, I wanted to leave an impression on McClain that I could play a little ball myself. With McClain on the opposing team, I decided to strike first. On the first possession of the game, I got free off a cut on the wing, caught the ball, dribbled past my defender and came to a quick jump stop at the free throw line. I put up a one-handed floater, a la Mike Miller at Florida, surprising McClain and his teammates with the quickness of my move. Brick. The shot hit front iron, and it would be the last attempt I would get as my team was run off the court quite quickly. Apparently, I wasn't the only player on my ragtag team looking to impress McClain as what ensued was little passing or ball movement, the worst nightmare when playing with four random players. Probably playing at about 50% effort, McClain was seemingly there to get a workout, not looking to score or dominate, rather just fitting in on his team. Late in the game, I found myself in a rather dubious position, the lone man back on a 2-on-1 break, with McClain on the wing. I knew what was coming, a lob to Sergio for a dunk on me, a fitting conclusion to a brutal game. I decided that was not going to happen. As the opponent with the ball took his final dribble, I jabbed toward him before quickly sagging off, perfectly timing the lob pass and ripping it out of the air, denying McClain the dunk and me the embarrassment. A possession later, Sergio's team scored, and the game was over before it even began. I had really shown Sergio my basketball skills as my team slunk off the court. As a student at Illinois, I always got excited when Illini basketball players would rarely show up to play at the recreation center. Whether it was McClain that one night. Or Nick Smith. Or Deron Williams, Luther Head and Dee Brown the Monday after Illinois lost to Duke in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Or Calvin Brock and Warren Carter prior to the historic 2004-05 season. As decent of a basketball player that I was, my skills were relative, especially when getting to see real Illinois players up close and personal. Once I played in a pickup game against Illinois backup point guard Jerrance Howard, surprising the guard with a quick baseline move, dribbling out and then back to the rim, hitting a floater off the hesitation move. A few possessions later Howard absolutely cooked me on a fast break, staring me down and driving through me for an easy basket. At the end of the day Illini players were men amongst boys when plying their trade at IMPE, with that especially apparent when McClain showed up and played that one night. With his future Illinois teammates Marcus Griffin and Frank Williams, McClain won four straight state championships at Peoria Manual High School, with the last three coming under his father Wayne as the head coach. While not the most talented or best player on his team, McClain was always the most important, a defensive rock, a connector, an ultimate winner. That was quickly apparent as McClain came to Illinois, serving as a reserve on a senior-laden team that won a share of the Big Ten title during the 1997-1998 season. As a sophomore, McClain and redshirt freshman Cory Bradford were constants on a young team that finished last in the Big Ten but nearly stole an NCAA Tournament bid with a run to the 1999 Big Ten title game. As an upperclassmen, McClain was finally joined by Griffin and Williams, and the Illini were ready to take off as a program. McClain's junior season saw Illinois earn a four seed and lose to the aforementioned Miller and Florida during the second round of the 2000 NCAA Tournament. With Bill Self arriving in Champaign for his senior season, McClain was the physical and emotional glue of an Illini team that would earn a number-one seed and come oh so close to a Final Four. Ultimately, McClain was the perfect fifth starter on that team, locking up the opponent's best player, doing all the little things, needing little offense to be run through him. McClain's departure was especially seen the following season, when Illinois was preseason #1 in The Sporting News. Without McClain and Griffin, Illinois lacked that one connector/glue guy who kept the team together. Illinois nearly landed Damien Wilkins from Georgia to fill McClain's spot and started the year with junior college transfer Blandon Ferguson as McClain's replacement. Ferguson would not last long in that role, with freshman Luther Head eventually starting by the end of the year. McClain was that missing puzzle piece for the 2001-02 team, the one player Illinois could not replace. While not a guy who wowed with his scoring or jumping ability, McClain impacted the game in so many little ways, proving to be a winner at every level and one of the most impactful role players the Illini have had during my fandom.
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 30-15.
I am going to keep drilling into the Peoria, Illinois pipeline as Marcus Griffin is my 14th favorite Illinois men's basketball player of my 30-year fandom. By the time I entered high school during the 1995-96 school year, Griffin was an All-American senior center for Peoria Manual. As I became a high school basketball fanatic, reading about Illinois prep hoops as much as possible in the Chicago newspapers, I remember hearing about Peoria Manual and its stud trio of Sergio McClain, Griffin and Frankie Williams. Sadly, I never got to see the Manual teams, which won four straight state championships, play in person. Each March my buddy Rich would go downstate with his father to watch the Illinois state finals, giving me insight as to how good Peoria Manual was. During the semifinals that season, Manual would match up with undefeated Thornton Township, featuring Melvin Ely, Antwaan Randle-El and Napoleon Harris. A game of stars, Peoria Manuel would give Thornton its first loss of the season and then beat West Aurora for its fourth-straight title! Following high school, McClain would be a key reserve on the 1997-98 Illinois team that won a share of the Big Ten title while Griffin would have to spend two seasons in junior college. I remember reading a Chicago Sun-Times article during this time, describing Griffin patiently biding his time to get to Illinois. I couldn't wait for the big man to arrive, though two seasons seemed like forever back then. Griffin ultimately arrived in Champaign prior to the 1999-2000 season, coming in with his high school teammate, the redshirt freshman Williams, and recruits Brian Cook and Sean Harrington. The loaded Illini looked like a team that would be reckoned with, ultimately being a bit up and down that season and losing in the second round to Florida during the 2000 NCAA Tournament. By Griffin's second and final season in Champaign, the seeds for a Final Four run were ready to germinate. Often overshadowed by Cory Bradford, Williams, Cook and others, Griffin was a 6'9'' beast down low, an efficient scorer who just knew how to play the game on both ends. During a memorable season that resulted in a #1 seed and Elite Eight appearance, Griffin especially stood out for his improbable game-winning layup against Wisconsin at the Assembly Hall. The day after, my aforementioned buddy Rich saw Griffin on campus and said "Nice shot, Marcus." Marcus fist-bumped Rich and said, "Thanks, man!" Personally, I especially enjoyed Griffin banging down low against Arizona three times that 2000-01 season, going toe to toe with the Wildcats' Loren Woods and Michael Wright. Whether going to work on the block or doing the dirty work, Griffin was such a solid piece of an incredibly deep team, with a mile-wide smile and engaging personality that made him a fan favorite. Even with some troublesome knees, Griffin always seemed to me like he could play in the NBA. I remember one mock draft site projecting him as a late second-round pick of the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2001 NBA Draft, which I was excited to see. I also remember reading an interview where Griffin said that he was going to make the NBA because he promised his Mom he would do so. Ultimately, Griffin never got to the NBA, though he remains a high school and college legend in Illinois. Perhaps on a different team, with a little more exposure, Marcus would have made it to the league. He certainly had the ability. Yet as was the case with any team Griffin played on, he was a consummate teammate, an ultimate winner who would do whatever it takes to contribute to success. With Cook, Griffin formed as talented of a front-line duo that Illinois basketball has ever had. While Griffin's two seasons in Champaign went fast, they were certainly memorable, building up to great things for the program. Nowadays, Griffin is an awesome contributor on the Illini Guys podcast, giving his insight about how Illinois must pound the ball inside. Once a big man, always a big man, Big Griff was an old-school center whose teams were simply hard to beat when he was on the floor. I just wish Griffin could have gotten that 2001 Final Four to go with his four state titles. :-)
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 30-17. Following the loss of Eric Gordon to Indiana as part of the 2007 Illinois men's basketball recruiting class, Illinois fans were obviously upset at Kelvin Sampson and worried about the talent that was coming in under Head Coach Bruce Weber. For restless Illinois fans, the 2010 recruiting class of Jereme Richmond, Meyers Leonard and Crandall Head was supposed to be the game-changer, though we all know how that went. Even when Illinois brought in a solid 2009 class of D.J. Richardson, Tyler Griffey, Joseph Bertrand and Brandon Paul, my 16th favorite Illini of my 30-year fandom, fans were looking ahead to 2010. Of course, the 2009 class would be far greater than the disappointing 2010 class with Richmond lasting only one year, Head transferring by the midway point of his sophomore year, and Leonard declaring for the NBA Draft after his sophomore year, which would be Weber's last season in Champaign. To me, I greatly respected the 2009 class, with Paul becoming the best player of that group. In fact, three of the four players from the class are in my favorite 30 Illini of all time, with Bertrand a close omission. From Warren High School in Gurnee, Paul lost his last high school game to his future Illini teammate Richmond, who hit an improbable halfcourt shot after the Warren star put his team up one point at the free throw line. With Paul, Richmond and a bunch of other touted recruits heading to Champaign, Illinois looked like it would be a team to reckon with again in college basketball. Of course, that would not prove to be the case, though no fault of Paul, Richardson, Griffey and Bertrand. Like Richardson, Paul was an instant starter at Illinois. Rocking a faux hawk as a freshman, Paul showed a lot of potential on a team that would just miss the NCAA Tournament. Paul especially impressed during an improbable comeback at Clemson that season, scoring 20 points. A versatile guard who could shoot from three, get to the rim and bring activity on defense, Paul had underrated star potential in my book. As a sophomore, Paul transitioned to a sixth-man role, finishing fourth in scoring on the team at 9.0 points per game, as Illinois inserted Richmond into the three spot and slid previous Big Ten freshman of the year Richardson to the two. Of course, Illinois would not live up to its potential that season, with Richmond essentially suspended for the NCAA Tournament for conduct detrimental to the team and then declaring for the NBA Draft, during which he would not be selected. With better team chemistry, at least at the start of Paul's junior season, Illinois got off to a hot start before things cratered during the Big Ten Season. Illinois would miss the 2012 NCAA Tournament and Weber would be fired, with the lone bright spot of that season being Paul's performance against Ohio State on January 10, 2012. En route to a career-high 43 points, Paul would outscore Ohio State 15-8 in the game's final 2:40. He also hit 8-of-10 threes that night during one of the greatest individual performances by an Illini that I had seen. In fact, I had flashbacks of Paul this past season when Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler scored 46 points at Purdue. With Jon Groce hired before his senior season, Paul got off to a hot start, winning MVP of the Maui Invitational after Illinois defeated Butler in the tourney title game. Paul would also have a big game during a huge road win at Gonzaga and hit the game-winning shot against Minnesota in the Big Ten Tournament. Paul would leave it all on the court during his final game as an Illini, scoring a team-high 18 points during a near upset of #2 seed Miami (FL). By the end of his career, Paul would finish as the eighth-highest scorer in program history with 1,654 points. While BP3 wasn't CP3, he was a damn good college basketball player, a rock for the Illini during four tumultuous seasons, someone Illinois fans could count on to play hard and with character. As was the case with Richardson, Griffey and Bertrand, Paul will always have my respect for sticking with the Illini through thick and thin, representing the University the right way, and getting Illinois back to the NCAA Tournament before a long drought was in store for the program. Even better, Paul persevered and eventually made it to the NBA, playing 64 games with the San Antonio Spurs during the 2016-17 season!
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 30-19. Last week the college basketball world was taken aback by the actions of LSU Head Basketball Coach Will Wade, who secured the commitment of an Israeli basketball player named Yam Madar to the Tigers. Drafted by the Boston Celtics with the 47th pick in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft, Madar is already 25 years old and will turn 26 during December of this year. As many college basketball pundits criticized Wade, LSU fans naturally stood up for their disgraceful coach. I heard one LSU YouTuber say that if Brad Underwood can bring in international players, it's okay, but when Will Wade does it, it's a crime. Sadly, the names of all of the Illini's international players were thrown into this LSU fan's discussion, including center Tomislav Ivisic, my 18th favorite Illinois men's basketball player of my fandom. Ultimately, I found the LSU fan's comments so disingenuous, especially when invoking big Tomi, who came to Illinois as a 21-year-old sophomore and will be completing his final season at the age of 24. Unlike Madar, who is being used to circumvent the rules at a $5 million price tag, Ivisic will be completing his third season at Illinois and leaving at a reasonable age. In other words, big Tomi is not just some rental player like Madar. He has been a key part of the Illini culture the past two seasons, helping Illinois get back to a Final Four last season and returning next season with bigger team goals in mind. When Tomi announced on May 15th with his twin brother Zvonimir and good friend Jake Davis that they would be returning to Illinois next season, I couldn't have been happier. I wrote a piece about what Tomi's return means for the Illini. I highly suggest you read it as it explains why Ivisic is one of my favorite Illini of all time: In short, Tomi is the quiet soul of the Illini, a big man who made a lot of sacrifices during a difficult sophomore season but came up big when Illinois needed him most during the NCAA Tournament. In my opinion when Ivisic is playing well, Illinois is pretty much unbeatable. He could be the most important player on the team next season if Illinois is going to get back to a Final Four. As Illinois lost to UCONN during the Final Four, big Tomi walked off the court, with tears in eyes, showing a kid who cares about being an Illini. Tomi is hardly some mercenary being employed for the biggest payout possible but rather someone with a lot of sweat equity invested in the program. LSU fans can rationalize Wade's actions all they want, just don't compare your situation to big Tomi!
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 30-20. After securing highly-regarded transfers Matthew Mayer and Terrence Shannon Jr. following the 2022-23 season but not necessarily having the best results en route to a first-round exit during the 2023 NCAA Tournament, Illinois Head Coach Brad Underwood changed his approach to bringing in players from other programs. Rather than focusing upon stars, Underwood signed veteran role players whom he thought would fit in with the 2023-24 team, including Utah Valley's Justin Harmon, Oregon's Quincy Guerrier and Southern Illinois' Marcus Domask, my 19th favorite player of my Illinois fandom. While playing just one season in Champaign, Domask certainly maximized his time in the Orange and Blue, teaming up with Shannon to lead Illinois to the second weekend of the 2024 NCAA Tournament for the first time since the glorious 2004-05 season when the Illini advanced to the national title game. A shrewd, under-the-radar addition, Domask was a perfect teammate who helped steady the team while Shannon dealt with unfortunate legal issues. Of course, Domask broke out early during the 2023-24 season, having his coming out party on the biggest stage of all, at Madison Square Garden against Florida Atlantic, a program that reached the Final Four the prior tournament. On that glorious Tuesday night, Domask scored a career-high 33 points on an amazing 14-for-21 from the field. In the second half of that game, Domask employed what Illinois fans would affectionately call "Booty Ball," posting up smaller opponents and going to work with his back-down and fadeaway game. Getting on as impressive of a heater as any Illinois player has had in recent memory, with the exception of Keaton Wagler's 46 point performance at Purdue this past season, Domask elevated the Illini that night and the rest of the season. Low maintenance and all about the team, the talented Domask was a revelation at Illinois after playing four seasons in the Missouri Valley Conference, scoring:
Of course, Domask saved his best for the postseason, scoring 26 points against Wisconsin in the championship game of the Big Ten Tournament, earning a triple double (12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists) against Morehead State during the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, and posting 22 points during a second-round victory against Duquense. In my opinion, Domask's most important game was his performance against Iowa State during the Sweet Sixteen . Against Iowa State's blitzing and trapping defense, Domask kept his cool, being strong with the ball, stepping through double teams and not turning the ball over. His final stat line of 7 points, 6 rebounds and team-high 5 assists do not speak enough about how great Domask played in the half court that night. On a team that did not have a true point guard, Domask's ability to sustain and initiate offense was a big reason why the Illini upset the Cyclones. While Illinois would lose big to UCONN during the Elite Eight, Domask acquitted himself quite well, scoring a team-high 17 points. At one point, Illinois had the game tied at 23 with about five minutes left in the first half, with Domask accounting for much of the Illini offense. All in all, as the season went on, Domask just got better and better, a model of consistency, someone Illinois fans could count on every single night. While Shannon may have been the superstar on the 2023-24 team, Domask was a very close second, far exceeding his expectations when arriving from Southern Illinois. Ultimately, Domask is a great reminder of how finding the right guys, rather than just getting the highest-rated players, is so important in today's transfer portal era. From day one on campus, Domask was grateful to be at Illinois and proved that he more than belonged at this level. Domask's lone season in Champaign was so impressive that he will first and foremost be remembered as an Illinois Fighting Illini despite playing four seasons at Southern Illinois and being Mr. Basketball in the state of Wisconsin! In my humble opinion Domask is the most impressive portal find of the Underwood era, a player who set a high bar that will be hard to reach by future underrated Illini transfers who wow more with their game than their name.
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