Illinois Fighting Illini
From Hoopedia
Contents |
Men's Championships
- National Champions: 1915
- Big Ten Champions: 1915, 1917, 1924, 1935, 1937, 1942, 1943, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1963, 1984, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005
- Big Ten Tournament Champions: 2003, 2005
Women's Championships
- Big Ten Champions: 1997
Notable Graduates
- Nick Anderson - (1987-1989), played professionally for the NBA's Orlando Magic and Sacramento Kings
- James Augustine - (2002-2006), forward for the NBA's Orlando Magic, all-time leader in rebounds at Illinois
- Kenny Battle - played in 4 NBA seasons for the Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors
- Dee Brown - (2002-2006), point guard for the NBA's Utah Jazz, 2005 Consensus All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year
- Brian Cook - (1999-2003), Third all time scorer for the Illini, currently plays professionally for the Los Angeles Lakers
- Dike Eddleman - football, basketball, and track and field (1947-1949), also tied for 2nd at the 1948 Summer Olympics in the high jump
- Kendall Gill - (1986-1990), 1990 consensus All-American and Big 10 Player of the Year, played professionally for 15 seasons in the NBA
- Derek Harper - (1980-1983), played professionally for 16 seasons in the NBA, ranked 11th all-time in steals and 17th in assists
- Luther Head - (2001-2005), guard for the Houston Rockets
- Eddie Johnson - played professionally for 17 seasons in the NBA, and the league's 35th all-time leading scorer
- Johnny "Red" Kerr - member of the 1952 Final Four team, played professionally for 11 seasons in the NBA, first head coach for both the Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns, and currently a broadcaster for the Chicago Bulls.
- Ken Norman - (1984-1987), played professionally for 10 seasons in the NBA
- Roger Powell Jr. - (2001-2005), forward for the Utah Jazz
- Frank Williams - has been part of the NBA's New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, Chicago Bulls, and L.A. Clippers
- Deron Williams - (2002-2005), point guard for the Utah Jazz, third overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft.
Noteworthy teams
Men's Basketball: 1988-1989 Season
Overall record: (31-5)
Head coach: Lou Henson
Story: Ranked #1 during the regular season. Known for their athletic style. Defeated in the Final Four of the 1989 NCAA Tournament, by the Michigan Wolverines even though they had defeated them twice during the regular season. Michigan went on to win the National Championship.
Men's Basketball: 2004-2005 Season
Overall record (tournaments included): 37-2
Regular season: 29-1
Big Ten Conference play: 15-1
Head coach: Bruce Weber
Starters:
- G - Deron Williams
- G - Dee Brown
- G - Luther Head
- F - James Augustine
- F - Roger Powell Jr.
Story: The first Illinois men's basketball team to be ranked number one in the polls since Lou Henson's "Flying Illini" of 1989. Illinois won the Big Ten Tournament and were the overall number one seed in the 2005 NCAA Tournament, eventually losing to the University of North Carolina in the finals, 75-70. This Illinois team tied the NCAA record for most wins in a season with 37 and was undefeated until losing the final game of the regular season at Ohio State by the score of 64-65.
Symbol and Controversy
A symbol of the University's athletic teams was, until recently, a Native American figure, Chief Illiniwek, who sparked significant controversy. Critics of the symbol claimed that it was a racist stereotype, while supporters claimed that it was unoffensive and is a source of pride for a majority of students and alumni. Recently, after past Sioux elder, Frank Fools Crow, sold an authentic ceremonial costume and headdress to the university, the Oglala Sioux tribe has demanded the costume and headdress back from U of I. The University was deeply divided on this issue; while some of the faculty condemned the symbol, the administration remained supportive of it.
While some view the Chief as reverence to the Native American heritage of Illinois, others view it as a symbol of oppression to Native Americans that took place in past American history. The University Board of Trustees announced on February 16, 2007 that the Chief's last public performance would be the final home game of the 2006-2007 Men's Basketball season. Lawrence C. Eppley, Chairman of the University Board of Trustees, was responsible for making the decision as to whether or not Chief Illiniwek would remain a school symbol. In the past, the entire board, consisting of 11 voting members, had voted to keep the chief as the Illini symbol. The name "Fighting Illini" was retained, as the NCAA rescinded its criticism of the use of the term.
Debate continues over the team name, with the University arguing that it is derived from the name of the state, not necessarily the Native American group of the same name. On a side note, it is a well established fact that a large majority of the student body of the University of Illinois are "Pro Chief" and have been noted to chant "Save the Chief" at U of I sporting events. At the Chief's last performance on Wed., February 21, 2007, students wore black to honor and mourn the chief's final performance.
