5 Best Illinois Fighting Illini Basketball Players, Ranked

The Illinois Fighting Illini had some success in the early 2000s. If you were able to make it to Las Vegas and wager on their college basketball odds during the 2004-05 season, you would’ve been almost completely happy as they lost in the championship game to North Carolina by just five points.

Their basketball betting odds at the BetMGM online sportsbook have been a bit more attractive lately, especially after their 2024 Elite Eight run. 

Before checking out their current odds, see my list below of the five best players in their history. 

Who Are the Best Illinois Fighting Illini Basketball Players?

1. Dee Brown

Brown played for Illinois from 2002 to 2006 and racked up numerous accolades. He was the Sporting News College Player of the Year, a consensus first-team All-American, and a consensus second-team All-American. He also won the Bob Cousy Award, the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award, the Big Ten Player of the Year, and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. 

While at the school, he scored 1,812 points (fourth in program history), had 674 assists (third), and 231 steals (second). 

Over his four-year career, he averaged 13.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. 

He was a key player in Illinois’s NCAA title run in the 2004-05 season, but they lost 75-70 in the championship to North Carolina. 

Brown had 12 points, seven assists, and four rebounds in that game. 

2. Deron Williams

Before going on to have a lucrative NBA career, Williams suited up for Illinois from 2002 to 2005 where he was a consensus second-team All-American, two-time first-team All-Big Ten, and his No. 5 was honoured by the school. 

Over his three seasons, he averaged 11 points, 5.9 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game. 

He finished with 594 assists (fourth), and his 264 assists in the 2004-05 season were the most in any single season in Illinois history. 

During their 2004-05 NCAA tournament run, where the team finished second, head coach Bruce Weber called Williams the “MVP of the team.” 

3. Kendall Gill

A consensus second-team All-American and first-team All-Big Ten recipient, Gill played for Illinois from 1986 to 1990 before going on to be the No. 5 overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft. 

He averaged 12 points, three assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game across his time there, but as a senior, he really showed out.

That season, Gill averaged 20 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.2 steals per game. 

He had 218 steals (third) and had two games with seven steals, which ranks second all-time in steals in a single game in program history. 

4. Kofi Cockburn

Of all the players on this list, Cockburn played at Illinois most recently, playing from 2020 to 2022. 

Across his three seasons, he averaged 17.2 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. 

He was a consensus first-team All-American, consensus second-team All-American, two-time first-team All-Big Ten, and the Big Ten Freshman of the Year. 

He had 861 rebounds (third) and 111 blocks (eighth). 

5. Ayo Dosunmu

Dosunmu played for Illinois from 2018 to 2021. 

While his freshman season with the Fighting Illini didn’t go well regarding the team’s win-loss record (12-21), he helped elevate them to a winning program as they went 21-10 the next season and 24-7 when he was a junior. 

Across three seasons and starting 90 games, Dosunmu averaged 16.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game. 

He won the Bob Cousy Award (nation’s best point guard), was a consensus first-team All-American, two-time first-team All-Big Ten, second-team All-Big Ten, a member of the Big Ten All-Freshman Team, Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player, and the program retired his No. 11.