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Illinois Basketball: Q&A with Illini legend Deon Thomas

By Rees Woodcock

EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 20: Head coach Brad Underwood of the Illinois Fighting Illini gives instructions to his players during a game against the Michigan State Spartans at Breslin Center on February 20, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 20: Head coach Brad Underwood of the Illinois Fighting Illini gives instructions to his players during a game against the Michigan State Spartans at Breslin Center on February 20, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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The Illinois basketball team has had some legends throughout the history of the program.

One particular legend averaged 18 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game while in Champaign. The only time this player didn’t lead the Illini in points, rebounds and blocks in a season was during his freshman campaign where he was second in points to Andy Kaufmann. This legend scored a total of 2,129 points while at Illinois which is No. 1 in program history. The all-time great player I am referring to is Deon Thomas.

Thomas’ reign was a few decades ago, but his legend still lives today. I had the great privilege of asking him a few questions about his thoughts on Brad Underwood’s first season, why the Illini recruiting dried up in Chicago and what the future holds for this great program. Here is a little Q & A with the greatest scorer in Illini history.

Writing Illini: What are your thoughts on the first year for the Illini under Brad Underwood?

Deon Thomas: I believe the first season for Brad Underwood has been a successful one. Of course, we all wanted more wins, but I believe the most difficult thing is building a culture and he’s well on his way in that regard.

WI: Who was the biggest surprise to you this season for the Illini and why?

DT: The biggest surprise has been Trent Frazier. As the leading scorer amongst freshmen, he has become one of the best freshmen to play for the University of Illinois.

WI: Let’s put you in Underwood’s position. What would be your strategy for recruiting kids to come play in Champaign?

DT: The University of Illinois is a strong selling point for kids that want to get a great education and play high-level basketball. These same players will have an opportunity to play right away and I know that’s important to today’s high school players. Another selling point is our student section – Orange Krush – and our fan base. We have the best fan base in the country.

WI: What went wrong for the Illini with recruiting kids coming out of the Chicago area? Why has there been a dry spell getting the best players from this part of the state?

DT: I don’t know if there was a big enough emphasis put into recruiting the city of Chicago from the previous two coaches. I was told years ago that the treatment of Jimmy Collins really hurt the university’s ability to recruit the city.

This staff has shown that recruiting Chicago and the rest of the state is a priority, and I’m looking forward to a bright future and a resurgence of Illini recruitment in the state.

Next: Trent Frazier headlines Big Ten awards for Illini

WI: Where do you see the Illini next season? Predictions such as NIT, NCAA tournament, better?

DT: LOL, I hate making predictions, but here we go. This really depends on us filling key positions. We need a big guy and I believe another aggressive athletic wing. If we’re able to get quality players at those positions filled, I believe we can make the NCAA tournament.

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