It is currently the offseason in college basketball. So, it’s the perfect time to create an all-time roster for each of the 18 teams that make up the Big Ten Conference in basketball. This series kicks off with the All-Time Illinois Fighting Illini Roster. Here are the 15 players who made the list.
All-Time Illinois Fighting Illini Basketball Roster
Point Guards
Deron Williams was an outstanding three-year guard for Illinois from 2002 to 2005. A two-time All-Big Ten player and a unanimous All-American in 2005, helping the Illini reach the 2005 National Championship game. That led to Williams being a top-three pick in the 2005 NBA Draft. Williams finished his Illinois career with 1,111 points and 594 assists.
Derek Harper was another three-year player for the Illini and was a star in the early 1980s. The former High School All-American started 86 of his 90 career games. He didn’t quite reach the 1,000-point mark, but he was an All-Big Ten player during the 1982-83 season. That led to him being picked 11th overall in the 1983 NBA Draft. His 16-year NBA career was nothing to frown at.
Williams and Harper were both pro players besides their days at Illinois, but arguably the best point guard from Illinois was Dee Brown. He spent all four years in Champaign, suiting up for the Illini from 2002 to 2006. He even got to play alongside Williams during their 2005 Final Four run. Brown took home plenty of college accolades, including being a two-time All-Big Ten player and a two-time All-American. He finished with 1,812 points and 674 assists for his career.
Trent Frazier was one loyal player for Illinois. He spent five seasons in Champaign (2017-2022). He was rewarded for finishing as an All-Big Ten player in his final season. Not to mention, he was an All-Defensive player twice. He nearly reached the 1,800-point mark and brought great leadership during his time with the orange and blue.
The final point guard is a recent first-round pick by the Miami Heat in the 2025 NBA Draft. Kasparas Jakucionis may have only spent one season with Illinois, but it was a memorable one. The Lithuanian sensation was All-Big Ten as a freshman, and he finished with 15.0 points, 4.7 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game.
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Shooting Guards
It’s hard not to argue that some of the best guards at Illinois could play multiple positions. That’s the theme for most of the guys at shooting guard. We are going way back for the first of the two guards. Don Ohl (1955-1958) is arguably the first star to come from Illinois. Sure, he played in a far different era of basketball. Then again, he was a star in the time of the Big Ten when players weren’t that big from this great conference. Ohl was a two-time All-Big Ten player and went on to be a five-time NBA All-Star.
Luther Head is one of those guards who was a solid ball handler. He was a member of Illinois’ 2005 National Runner-Up team. Alongside Williams and Brown, Head also earned All-American honors that season. He was a first-round draft pick in 2005 as well.
Steve Bardo is yet another throwback name. He was a key cog in the unit Dick Vitale famously called the ‘Flying Illini’. Bardo ended up being the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year during the 1988-89 season. Sure, he didn’t quite live up to the rest of ‘Flying Illini’ offensively, but he meant a lot to the Big Ten, and still does to this day as a broadcaster.
The final shooting guard spot for this all-time Illinois team goes to the Chicago Bulls’ Ayo Dosunmu. He was a great ball handler despite being the go-to scorer during his three-year college career. Not only was he outstanding in the Big Ten, but he also made a significant impact nationally, finishing as a consensus All-American during the 2020-21 season. That season also saw Dosunmu lead the Illini to the Big Ten Tournament Championship. It also led to his selection as the 38th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Small Forwards
A true small forward is a good way to start this section of the roster. Eddie Johnson was exactly that for Illinois (1977-1981) and as a pro. Johnson starred in the Big Ten for a fun time. He got to take on players like Magic Johnson, among others, in the late 70s. A high-school All-American, Johnson finally earned All-Big Ten in his senior season in 1980-81. He was a rebound machine, finishing with 831 rebounds during his Illini career. Johnson turned his collegiate career into a very productive NBA run. He finished with over 19,200 points, despite never reaching the All-Star game. That was an impressive feat.
The final two small forwards for this team come from the ‘Flying Illini’ era of the late 1980s. Kendall Gill and Nick Anderson. Both stared at Illinois before each being drafted to the NBA. Gill was an All-American in 1989-90 after he averaged 20 points per game. He was the fifth overall selection in the 1990 NBA Draft. As for Anderson, he spent only two years with Illinois, but both were very productive seasons. Following a 1989 Final Four appearance, Anderson went to the NBA, where he was the 11th overall pick. Not to mention, he averaged 18 points and nearly eight rebounds during that 88-89 season.
Power Forward
The thinnest position on the roster is the power forward spot for the Fighting Illini. Brian Cook gets the nod here as he made a name for himself throughout his four seasons in college. From Big Ten ROTY in 1999-2000 to Big Ten Player of the Year in 2002-2003, Cook was a consistent force for Illinois. He was a winner, too. Following a successful collegiate career, he was selected as a first-round pick in the 2003 NBA Draft.
Center
The final two spots on this 15-player all-time roster go to centers. Meyers Leonard was a bit of a mystery during his time at Illinois. From averaging next to nothing as a freshman in 2010-11, Leonard took a big step as a sophomore. He finished the 2011-12 season with averages of 13.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, and nearly two blocks. Despite not living up to his five-star rating out of high school, Leonard made a big climb on draft boards before getting picked 11th overall in 2012.
The final center is certainly a great one. Kofi Cockburn was all you could ask for as a center, especially in the Big Ten. He was a two-time All-American and All-Big Ten player. Not to mention, he averaged at least 13 points in each of his three seasons from 2019 to 2022. He was in the top five in rebounding in the Big Ten each of those years. Despite earning numerous collegiate honors, Cockburn went undrafted in 2022 and has since been playing in Japan.
Featured image: © Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
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