Illinois Basketball: Recruiting history of top 100 point guards

No. 23 Dee Brown

What can I say about Dee Brown that hasn’t already been said? This kid was one of the most special players that any Illinois fan has ever laid eyes on.

The Brown era of my Illini fandom was a period of time that I will likely never get back. The hurricane of passion and excitement that went through my body when this team would take the floor was something I have only experienced during that time.

Brown was easily one of the leaders on this team. I really looked at him and Deron Williams as the two leaders with the rest of the team being perfect pieces around these two.

Coming out of Proviso East High School, Brown was looked at as a must get for the Illini. They landed this talented player, but not without some pressure for the Michigan State Spartans.

Brown was a five-star point guard who was the No. 23 player in the class of 2002 and the No. 5 point guard in the nation. He was a massive get for head coach Bill Self and a player that would help lead the Illini to uncharted territory.

In the four seasons Brown played for the Illini he was sensational. He averaged over 12 points and 4.5 assists per game in every season he played.

When Brown’s career was finished he averaged 13.2 points, 4.9 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game. I feel privileged to have watched him during his career and I hope he can be a part of the Illinois community for years to come.