Writing Illini
Fansided

Illinois Basketball: Illini’s 2010s first-string All-Decade Team

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, IL - JANUARY 05: An Illinois Fighting Illini cheerleader performs during a break int he action in the Big Ten Conference college basketball game between the Purdue Boilermakers and the Illinois Fighting Illini on January 5, 2020, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - JANUARY 05: An Illinois Fighting Illini cheerleader performs during a break int he action in the Big Ten Conference college basketball game between the Purdue Boilermakers and the Illinois Fighting Illini on January 5, 2020, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 6
Next
Illinois Basketball
Brandon Paul (3) of Illinois celebrates with teammates after hitting the game-winning shot against Minnesota in their first-round game in the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday, March 14, 2013, in Chicago, Illinois. (Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) /

The Illinois basketball team has gone through a lot of players over the last 10 years, but who belongs on the Illini All-Decade Team?

That right there is a tough question. There have been some really good players who have done some great things. There have been some okay players who have gone dancing. There have been some great players who failed to see the postseason.

So many factors can go into determining who belongs on the Illini All-Decade Team. My All-Decade Team is mainly based on numbers. Players have some control over winning and losing, but if the coaching staff can’t put talented players around the great players, then how is the team going to succeed? With that being said, winning does put you over the top if your numbers are similar when comparing.

It was also hard to leave players off of this list. I have a second-string All-Decade Team that I am going to release a little later. I shifted some of the talented players who were fringe first-string over the second-string. Not making this All-Decade Team doesn’t mean those players are bad either. There are truly some great players who aren’t on this list.

Without further ado, here is the Illini 2010s first-string All-Decade Team.

Home/Illinois Basketball