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Illinois Basketball: Best father-son combos in Illini history

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, IL - DECEMBER 02: A vintage logo is displayed on the jersey of Illinois Fighting Illini guard Da'Monte Williams (20) during the college basketball game between the Miami Hurricanes and the Illinois Fighting Illini on December 2, 2019, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - DECEMBER 02: A vintage logo is displayed on the jersey of Illinois Fighting Illini guard Da'Monte Williams (20) during the college basketball game between the Miami Hurricanes and the Illinois Fighting Illini on December 2, 2019, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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CHAMPAIGN, IL – DECEMBER 15: Tyler Underwood #32 of the Illinois Fighting Illini drives to the basket in the game against the East Tennessee State Buccaneers in the first half at State Farm Center on December 15, 2018 in Champaign, Illinois.(Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL – DECEMBER 15: Tyler Underwood #32 of the Illinois Fighting Illini drives to the basket in the game against the East Tennessee State Buccaneers in the first half at State Farm Center on December 15, 2018 in Champaign, Illinois.(Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /

3. Father – Brad Underwood; Son – Tyler Underwood

Not every father-son combo on this list played for the Illinois basketball team necessarily. This slide consists of Illinois basketball coach Brad Underwood and his son, Tyler.

Brad has been a head coach at the DI level for seven years now, three of which have been with the Illinois basketball program. Let’s just say, the start of his tenure in Champaign wasn’t going smoothly before this season. But if you look at historic trends, mostly Lou Henson, you will see you have to give the coach a few years.

Illinois was able to put everything together this past season, though. The team made a run and would have been a top-four seed in the Big Ten Tournament, clinching the double-bye. They would have made the NCAA tournament as a top seven seed as well. But, as previously mentioned, Covid-19 took out sports for a while. But Brad has this program on the right path.

Before Brad came to Illinois, he spent a year with Oklahoma State. When he joined the Cowboys program, he brought his son Tyler in as a walk-on player. After coming to Illinois, Tyler joined the Illini program as well.

Tyler wasn’t asked to do a lot in the two years he was with Illinois. He was a reserve player for the program, and when he would come in, things didn’t go badly. He ended up averaging 0.4 points, 0.4 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game. His main job was as a defender, and he checked all of the boxes while on the court.

Brad and Tyler were a fun father-son duo to watch. One of the main reasons was that Tyler looked so much like his father, and you could see a future coach in the making.

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