Throughout the long history of Illinois basketball, there have been some great players who have prosperous NBA/ABA careers.
Most of the young Illini fans will remember some of the more recent NBA players to come out of Illinois, but there are also extremely talented players from 30, 40, or 50 years ago who made an impact in the professional ranks.
I wanted to lay out the best of the best. I wanted to see which Illinois basketball players had the best NBA/ABA careers.
Here are the top 10 NBA/ABA careers by an Illinois basketball player
No. 10 Nick Anderson
If you were going to chart the greatest college careers among Illinois basketball players, Nick Anderson would be in consideration for the greatest. He was one of the best to ever put on an Illinois jersey.
Coming out of the prestigious Simeon High School in Chicago, Anderson was one of the biggest gets for Lou Henson and the Illini. He would join the Orange and Blue, and in two seasons with the program, he would help lead us to the second round of the NCAA tournament and the Final 4.
Anderson had high expectations coming out of Illinois. He was selected with pick No. 11 in the 1989 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic, which was the first draft pick in franchise history.
For his NBA career, Anderson would play for three franchises and would average 14.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game.
While Anderson wouldn’t make an All-Star appearance and didn’t have much in the way of accolades, he did have some pretty memorable moments.
In 1994-95, the Magic were able to make the NBA Finals with the help of Anderson. He was a part of a big three that featured him, Shaquille O’Neal, and Penny Hardaway. He also took down Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the 1995 playoffs. His big steal of the ball from Jordan still lives on today.
If Anderson had more accolades, he would be much higher on this list. Regardless, he still had a great NBA career and checks in at No. 10 on this list.
No. 9 Skip Thoren
Some of the players on this list are from a half-century ago, but it is good to never forget the impact these players had on the game. Skip Thoren was a legend in the state of Illinois and for the Illini.
Coming out of Rockford East High School in Illinois, Thoren was one of the best basketball players in the country. He was a Parade All-American in high school, and he would then take his talents to Champaign to play for the Orange and Blue.
With the Illini, Thoren would dominate the Big Ten. He would average 22.2 points and 14.5 rebounds per game in his final season. After his time with the Illini, Thoren would head to the professional ranks where he was drafted by the Baltimore Bullets in the fourth round of the 1965 NBA Draft.
Thoren decided to head to Italy to play professionally, though. He spent one season in Italy and won the European Cup and was the MVP of the European Cup tournament.
After his one season in Italy, Thoren would then come back to the mainland and play for the Minnesota Muskies for one season and the Miami Floridians for two seasons in the ABA. He would average 13.2 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in his three seasons. He also made the ABA All-Star game in 1969.
If it wasn’t for a bad knee injury that required multiple surgeries, Thoren would have had a great career in the professional ranks. Even in the short time he spent playing professional basketball, he still made an impact and was one of the best players in the world.
While it was a short career, it was an impactful one for Thoren. He was a great player with an All-Star to his name. That is why I have to put him No. 9 on this list.
No. 8 Dike Eddleman
Back in the 1940s, they just didn’t make basketball players as they make them today. Dike Eddleman was a great forward for the Illini at 6-foot-2.
Coming out of Centralia High School in Illinois, Eddleman joined the Illini program and was an instant success. He spent two seasons in Champaign and was an All-Big Ten player each year.
After his time at Illinois, Eddleman would go to the professional ranks. He was selected in the third round by the Chicago Stags of the Basketball Association of America, which later became the NBA.
Eddleman would spend four seasons playing in the professional ranks and would average 12.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. He also made two All-Star games in his time in the NBA.
The only reason Eddleman’s career came to an end was due to his team closing up shop. He would then take a regular job working at Central Soya.
It wasn’t a long career, and the NBA was a different animal all those years ago, but Eddleman has to go down as having one of the best professional careers in Illinois basketball history. His numbers and accolades are good enough to put him No. 8 on this list.
No. 7 Kendall Gill
Illinois had some special players suit up for the program in the late 1980s. Nick Anderson was already mentioned on this list, and now I have to put his teammate Kendall Gill a few spots higher.
Coming out of Rich Township High School in Illinois, Gill was one of the best players in the country. He entered the Illinois program and was dominant from day one. He would earn consensus All-American honors and was All-Big Ten in 1989-90. Gill would also lead Illinois to four straight NCAA tournament appearances and a Final 4.
After being selected with the No. 5 pick in the 1990 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, Gill would go on to have a long NBA career. He would end up playing in the NBA for 15 years with seven different franchises.
For his career, Gill would average 13.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game. His best years were with the Hornets, where he would have a season where he averaged 20.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.9 steals per game.
Gill also has some solid accolades. He made the All-Rookie team in 1990-91, and then nearly a decade later, he would be the 1998-99 steals champion in the NBA.
Having a 15-year NBA career is an impressive achievement. You can then couple in the accolades and the numbers, and this produces one of the greatest NBA careers by an Illinois player. I have Gill checking in at No. 7 on this list.
No. 6 Eddie Johnson
Lou Henson really turned the Illinois basketball program around. Landing players like Eddie Johnson helped elevate the Illini to new heights.
Johnson came to Illinois from Westinghouse High School in Chicago. He was looked at as one of the best players in the country, as he was a Parade All-American in high school. Johnson would join the Illini and would be sensational as well. He would average 14.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.7 assists for his college career. He was also an All-Big Ten player.
After his time at Illinois, Johnson would get picked by the Kansas City Kings in the second round of the 1981 NBA Draft. He would have an insane 17-year NBA career that featured him playing with six different franchises.
Despite not making an NBA All-Star game, Johnson would put up some big-time numbers. He would average 16.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game during his NBA career. In 1988-89, Johnson would have his best season in the NBA, averaging 21.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. He would earn Sixth Man of the Year honors that season.
Johnson is arguably the greatest shooter to ever come out of Illinois and play in the NBA. He had an extremely long career and put up some impressive numbers. If he could have racked up more accolades, Johnson would be higher on this list. I still have Johnson at No. 6, though.
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.
No. 4 Red Kerr
We are hitting the way back machine with this next player. Even though he played in the 1950s, you can’t leave Red Kerr off the list of the greatest NBA players to come out of Illinois.
Kerr entered the college ranks from Tilden High School in Chicago. As soon as he stepped on the floor for the Illini, Kerr was sensational. He would average 18.6 points per game in three seasons, and he made the NCAA All-Tournament and the All-Big Ten team.
After his time in Champaign, Kerr would head to the NBA where he was selected with the No. 6 pick in the 1954 draft by the Syracuse Nationals.
Kerr had a great career over 12 years of playing in the NBA. He would average 13.8 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. His best season came in 1958-59 when he averaged 17.8 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game.
The great numbers that Kerr was able to amass helped him earn three All-Star appearances. He also won the 1955 NBA Championship with the Nationals.
Kerr had a nice long NBA career. He was able to snag three All-Star selections and he was at the pinnacle of the basketball world in 1955. All of these accolades puts Kerr at No. 4 on this list.
No. 3 Deron Williams
One of the best players in the history of Illinois basketball was Deron Williams. He was one of the most all-around talented players, and he took that talent to the professional ranks.
Coming out of The Colony High School in Texas, Williams wasn’t the most highly-touted player in the high school ranks. He joined the Illinois program, and the rest was history. He was a consensus All-American, an All-Big Ten player, and an NCAA All-Tournament team player. He also helped lead Illinois to the national title in 2005.
After three seasons at Illinois, Williams headed to the NBA. The Utah Jazz selected Williams with pick No. 3 in 2005. From the jump, Williams was sensational with the Jazz.
Williams would make the All-Rookie team in his first year in the NBA. He would then parlay that into a 12-year NBA career where he averaged 16.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game.
If it wasn’t for injuries, Williams would be an NBA Hall of Fame player. When healthy, he was able to make three All-Star appearances and was a member of the All-NBA two different times.
Williams is easily one of the greatest NBA players to ever come out of Illinois. He should have been No. 1 on this list if his mobility wasn’t cut short. Williams still makes the list at No. 3, though.
No. 2 Andy Phillip
You have to look at how good a player was during his era to determine where he fits on this list. Checking in at No. 2 is someone no one reading this article, most likely, has ever watched play basketball.
Coming out of Granite City High School in Illinois, Andy Phillip was a great get for the Illini. He joined the program in the 1940s and was instantly a sensation. He was an All-American for Illinois in 1941-42 and 1942-43. Phillip then went into the military and fought in World War II. He came back to Illinois for the 1946-47 season and was once again an All-American.
Phillip would be selected by the Chicago Stags in the fifth round of the 1947 BAA Draft, which later became the NBA. He would finish his 11-year NBA career averaging 9.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game.
On top of fighting in World War II and then having over a decade-long career, Phillip was a successful NBA player. He made five All-Star appearances. He also made the All-NBA two times and was the NBA assist champion for two seasons.
In 1957, Phillip would win the NBA Championship with the Boston Celtics. After his NBA career, he would get inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1961.
This was a legendary career for Phillip. He put the numbers and accolades together to form one of the best NBA runs by an Illinois player. It was hard not to put him at the top of this list, but I think No. 2 is right where Phillip should be ranked.
No. 1 Donnie Freeman
The top NBA player that the Illinois basketball program produced has to go to Donnie Freeman. He is someone who had great numbers and even better accolades during his time in the professional ranks.
Coming out of Madison High School in Illinois, Freeman would join the Illini and would be one of the best college players in program history. He would average 20.1 points and 10.3 rebounds during his career in Champaign, and he was an All-Big Ten player.
After his time was done with the Illini, Freeman would head to the NBA. He was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the third round of the 1966 NBA Draft.
During his nine-year ABA/NBA career, Freeman would play for seven different franchises. He would finish his time in the professional ranks averaging 18.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. His best season came with the Miami Floridians of the ABA where he would average 27.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game.
Freeman actually ended up spending all but one season in the ABA. He would make five All-Star appearances and was a four-time All-ABA player. He also made the ABA All-Time Team as one of the greatest players to ever come through the ABA. In 1973, Freeman would help bring home the ABA Championship with the Indiana Pacers.
The accolades and numbers for Freeman are impressive. He was one of the most prolific scorers in ABA history. I think Freeman goes down as having the best NBA/ABA career in Illinois basketball history.