Illini Hoops is the second best program in the Big Ten and tied for 15th best overall when it comes to producing quality NBA players. The Illini are tied with Oregon and Georgia Tech in that 15th slot. Ohio State is the Big Ten’s best, and 11th overall (tied with Syracuse). UCLA, as we’ve detailed here, is the best overall.
Note: this is similar to another study that ran in the Wall Street Journal, which found Illinois to be the number one school in the nation when it comes to NFL starters per win ratios. That is Illini football was the program most embodying a successful NFL farm system, despite not winning with it all talent.
Between 1999 and 2009, 16 players from UCLA were selected in the NBA draft, with 14 of them going on to play more than 300 games, the highest number for any school in Division I, according to Stats LLC.
So it’s not really so much about producing draft picks, as it is about true significant contributors and All-Stars. We’re looking at quality over quantity in this study that was publicized by the Wall Street Journal.After Kentucky and UCLA basketball programs, LSU, shockingly, is third. Duke as mentioned above is fourth. Then it goes Texas, Stanford, USC, Florida, UConn and Kansas to round out the top. Very surprising, as there’s a lot of football schools in there.
Regarding Illini hoops specifically, well Deron Williams was the highest NBA Draft pick in school history. Before all the recent injuries and decline in skills set in, he was considered the best point guard in the NBA for a couple years there. In his prime, Williams established himself as the greatest pro player to come out of the Illini hoops program in the modern era.
More Illini hoops alums. Brian Cook had a nice long NBA career; Luther Head, Dee Brown and James Augustine had a couple cups of coffees. Lately Illini hoops has sent a lot of players to the NBA Draft combine (Jereme Richmond, Demetri McCamey in 2011, Brandon Paul in 2012). Unfortunately, the latter two weren’t talented enough to play in the league, and the former wasn’t mentally adjusted enough to make the cut.
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net ,which is partners with Fox Sports. Read his feature stories in the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. Listen to him on KOZN 1620 The Zone. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks). His work has been featured in hundreds of media outlets including The Washington Post and ESPN 2