Illinois Basketball: Who belongs on the Mount Rushmore?

Nick Anderson (Player 1986-1989)

One of the more controversial picks for the Illinois basketball Mount Rushmore is Illini legend, Nick Anderson. The issue with Anderson is that he was only with the program three seasons, one he sat out, and there isn’t a big enough sample size. But, man, those two seasons he played were special.

Let’s look at Anderson’s numbers through the two seasons with the Illini. The first year he averaged 15.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. Those are great numbers for a first-year player. In year two, Anderson continued to increase those numbers. He averaged 18 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2 assists per game. He was spectacular on the basketball court.

Overall, Anderson ranks as the No. 34 scorer in Illinois basketball history. Let that sink in for a moment. He is No. 34 in the history of the Illinois program and scored 1,172 points in only two seasons with the Illini. If you take his total points and just double it, because that would make for four seasons, Anderson would be at 2,344 points for his career. That would make him the No. 1 scorer in the history of the program; Deon Thomas leads now with 2,129 points.

In the two years Anderson played for Illinois, the team made it to the NCAA tournament as well. In his first season, Illinois made it to the second round and lost to Villanova. The following year, which would be the final one for Anderson, Illinois made it all the way to the Final Four and barely lost to Michigan.

Anderson was then selected in the 1989 NBA Draft as the first pick in Orlando Magic franchise history. He was selected No. 11 overall that year. His stats, accolades and ability on the basketball court make Anderson a great pick for the Illinois basketball Mount Rushmore.