In the past half-century and change, Illini basketball has produced two once-in-a-generation level teams. While three teams achieved a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the 2001 side did not reach the Final Four, like 2005 and the 1989 squads did.
The ’01 group was special, reaching the Elite 8, but they’re not in the same class as the ’89 and ’05 teams, who were borderline magical. Illini basketball reached the Final Four in ’49, ’51 and ’52. Then it didn’t happen again for 37 years. The program returned to college basketball’s biggest stage again 16 years later, but hasn’t been beyond the round of 32 since.
Hence, many Illini basketball fans often fixate on these two teams, the most superlative squads that we’ve been alive to witness.
Ahead of the inaugural Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame Gala, we had an exclusive with Dee Brown of the ’05 team, and Nick Anderson from the Flyin’ Illini, we asked both who would win in if the two legendary units hypothetically faced off.
“We had two amazing teams,” Brown responded.
“But I would just say to make a little fun with it, to make jokes with it, with the technology today and the shoes they wore I don’t think they would have been able to play up and down with us, but that team was phenomenal.”
“We were special, there was something about us,” said Anderson. “We were a family on the floor and away from the floor. We fought every battle and every war together, so there’s nothing like the Flyin’ Illini”
The official Illini basketball Twitter account did their own unscientific poll of ’89 vs ’05 and you can see the results of that below:
Nick Anderson & @deebrown11 here in Chicago for the Hall of Fame Gala. So who you got #Illini fans? Retweet for '89 or Like for '05… pic.twitter.com/kIKqEc81I5
— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) June 23, 2017
You might also want to check out the audio with coach Brad Underwood from Hall of Fame Media Availability day, as well our list of who the next seven Illini basketball players to get into the Hall of Fame should be.
On to the ’89 vs ’05 debate. Who had the ultimate, with apologies to 50 Cent, “Champaign campaign?”
Backcourt match-ups
Stephen Bardo vs Dee Brown
The ’05 team had two true point guards, not one, and that was a major reason to why they were so successful. Brown, not Williams won the Cousy Award, given to the nation’s top point man, so we’ll match him up with the ’89 team’s floor general. Brown could match Bardo defensively, and on the offensive end, it’s no contest. Bardo’s offensive game is like his announcing and commentating abilities, rather lacking.
Edge to Brown
Kendall Gill vs. Deron Williams
Gill was often thought of as a basketball player with extraordinary athleticism, but only ordinary skills. Nevertheless, he had a very impressive NBA career, making the NBA All-Rookie Team in 1991 and leading the league in steals in 1999. He also averaged more than 20 points per game in two seasons.
D. Will was in the “greatest point guard alive” conversation in the late 2000s, but injuries and Father Time have caught up to him since. He can still bring it on a given night, but his NBA Finals performance, was…let’s move on.
Brown said during our exclusive that he’s still tight with Williams to this day and that the Cavaliers point guard will have a job in the NBA somewhere next season. Williams has had a fantastic NBA career, he might be the most accomplished Illinois player in the pros of this generation.
However, he was only truly polished for one and a half seasons while he was at Illinois, and this debate, while focusing on each player’s entire body of work, gives special weight to where they were in 1989 and 2005 respectively.
We’ll call this a draw/maybe a slight edge to Williams
Nick Anderson vs. Luther Head
Anderson was the third main player (Shaquille O’Neal was the big dog, Penny Hardaway the second fiddle) on an Orlando Magic team that kept Michael Jordan out of the NBA Finals during his 1994-1995 comeback season. He averaged double figures in scoring in 11 of his 13 years in the league.
Head is considered to be among the best three point shooters in Illini basketball history. He holds the record for most three point field goals made in a single season (116) in 2005. Brown is second at 99, during the same campaign.
Head also holds the program record for most NCAA Tournament games played at 14.
Edge: Anderson, substantially
We’ll also give the ’89 team the edge overall in the backcourt. If you compare the NBA careers of Williams, Head and Brown against Gill, Anderson and Bardo, the difference in talent becomes very noticeable.
Frontcourt match-ups
Kenny Battle vs. Roger Powell
Everyone loves the Reverend; how could you not! However, Battle was a NBA first round pick who played in the league for four years and he’s a member of the Illini basketball All-Century Team and ring of honored jerseys in the arena.
Edge: Battle, by a big margin
Lowell Hamilton vs. James Augustine
Although he fouled out of the national title game in just nine minutes, we’ll take UI’s all time leading rebounder
Edge: Augustine.
Bench
Marcus Liberty, Ervin Small and company vs. Jack Ingram, Shaun Pruitt, Rich McBride, Warren Carter etc.
Edge: ’89 team had a NBA draft pick sixth man/part time starter, and just more talent in the reserves overall.
The Verdict…1989 wins, probably by about 4-8 points.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV.
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