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Illinois Basketball: Top 5 Illini players to ever wear the No. 3

By Rees Woodcock

Feb 22, 2009; Columbus, OH, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Chester Frazier (3) signals for a 1 and 1 foul against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Value City Arena. The Illini beat the Buckeyes 70-68. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 22, 2009; Columbus, OH, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Chester Frazier (3) signals for a 1 and 1 foul against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Value City Arena. The Illini beat the Buckeyes 70-68. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 28, 2018; New York, NY, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Maishe Dailey (1) drives against Illinois Fighting Illini guard Te’Jon Lucas (3) during the first half of a first round game of the 2018 Big Ten Tournament at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 28, 2018; New York, NY, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Maishe Dailey (1) drives against Illinois Fighting Illini guard Te’Jon Lucas (3) during the first half of a first round game of the 2018 Big Ten Tournament at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Te’Jon Lucas

  • Best: 5.7 pts, 2.2 rebs, 3.2 asts, 1.1 stls
  • Career: 5.2 pts, 2.1 rebs, 3.2 asts, 1.1 stls

It was a tough call between No. 4 and No. 5 on this list, but I think Te’Jon Lucas takes the No. 4 spot of the best players in Illinois basketball history to wear the No. 3.

Lucas was the lone commitment for the Illini in the class of 2016. The sub-100 ranked point guard committed to Illinois and was thrown to the wolves early on due to injuries and lack of depth at point guard.

I was impressed with Lucas from the jump. He had an energy about him that was missing from the Illinois basketball program. I also thought he was immediately one of the best, if not the best, point guards on the team.

Lucas’ best season with the Illini consisted of him averaging 5.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. These numbers were consistent with his career averages of 5.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.1 steals per contest.

Illinois would struggle in the two seasons Lucas was with the program. An 18-win campaign that saw the Illini make the NIT was followed up by one of the worst seasons in Illinois basketball history as the team only managed to win 14 games.

The career for Lucas at Illinois would end up being cut short. He spent two seasons in Champaign before transferring out. He would land with the Milwaukee Panthers for a couple of years before finishing his career up with BYU this past season.

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