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Top 10 NBA/ABA careers by an Illinois basketball player

By Rees Woodcock

Nov 5, 2013; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets point guard Deron Williams (8) advances the ball during the first quarter against the Utah Jazz at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 5, 2013; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets point guard Deron Williams (8) advances the ball during the first quarter against the Utah Jazz at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /
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Illinois basketball
PISCATAWAY, NJ – FEBRUARY 16: The logo of the Illinois Fighting Illini worn on the uniform shorts during a game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Jersey Mike’s Arena on February 16, 2022 in Piscataway, New Jersey. Rutgers defeated Illinois 70-59. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

No. 5 Don Ohl

The top five on this list have accolades that you cannot ignore. Let’s start with No. 5 in Don Ohl. He was a talented guard for the Illini who would go on to have a marvelous professional career.

Coming out of Edwardsville High School in Illinois, Ohl would join the Illini and have a great career in Champaign. For his college career, he would average 14.0 points and would make two All-Big Ten teams.

After his time was done at Illinois, Ohl would enter the NBA Draft and would be selected in the fifth round by the Philadelphia Warriors in 1958.

Ohl would go on to have a 10-year NBA career filled with great numbers and impressive accolades. He would average 15.9 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game in his 10 seasons.

The best season Ohl had in the NBA was in 1965-66 when he averaged 20.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game. This was in the middle of a five-year stretch where Ohl would make the All-Star game each season.

Having a 10-year NBA career gets you noticed, but when you can make five All-Star games and average over 15 points per game for your career, that is when you make this list. I think Ohl is one of the greatest to ever do it, and he is No. 5 on the list of the top NBA careers from Illinois players.

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