Next: 2002: Dee Brown
In 1999, it marked the final year of a three year run that Illinois would see a McDonald’s All-American come to Champaign.
Brian Cook played in that prestigious game in 1999 and then would commit to Illinois to have one of the greatest careers we have ever seen.
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Cook was an immediate success with the Illini. In the 1999-00 season he averaged 9 PPG and 4.5 RPG. Illinois would go on to lose in the second round to Florida that year.
The following season Cook saw an improvement. He averaged 11.2 PPG and 6.1 RPG in route to an Elite 8 berth. The Illini fell to Arizona that year.
Cook’s junior year the Illini made it to the Sweet 16 and one of the main reasons was because of his versatility. That year Cook averaged 13.5 PPG and 6.7 RPG. He could always play in the paint but he was able to shoot the three point shot as well.
In the final season for Cook Illinois was ousted in the second round by Notre Dame, but he still had one of the greatest seasons in Illinois history.
Cook finished that year averaging 20 PPG and 7.6 RPG. While the ending wasn’t what we wanted, the career that Cook had was legendary.
Following his senior season Cook decided to go into the NBA. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 24th pick in the first round of the 2003 NBA Draft.