Illinois basketball: Illini players who should start in the TBT

The Basketball Tournament (TBT) will feature a team that will be full of former players who played for the Illinois basketball program.

The TBT is a tournament where basketball teams try to compete for two million dollars. It was announced back in February that Illinois will have its own team compete in the tournament. Who would be the best options to suit up for the Illini, though?

Illinois already has three former players signed up with Malcolm Hill and Nnanna Egwu playing and Mike LaTulip as the head coach. Since the team already has two players in the lineup, they only need three more to fill out the starters. This team has a lot of former players to choose from. The Illini have produced a bunch of players that have played in the G-League and overseas.

I think the third addition to this team should be Tracy Abrams. Abrams had a decent career at Illinois. He played four seasons but suffered two back-to-back injuries in his four years with the team. He had career averages of 8.6 points, 2.7 assists and 3.1 rebounds. Abrams also played overseas for a while. I think he would be useful on the team because a point guard is needed, and he provides a defensive presence on the perimeter.

The next player I think should be an addition to the team is Brandon Paul. Paul had a good Illini career. Paul’s career averages consisted of 12 points, 2.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds. He played in the NBA for one season for the San Antonio Spurs. I think he would be useful to the team because he brings the ability to score and create his own shot.

The next addition on the team should be Rayvonte Rice. He spent two seasons in Orange and Blue. For his college career, he averaged 15.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists. Rice has played both overseas and in the NBA summer league recently. He would be someone who can create his own shot and score for the team.

I am happy the Illinois basketball program is represented in the TBT. This team would be small, but they can add taller players and one of these guys I named can be moved to a bench role. The possibilities are endless.