Illinois basketball has had some great talent come through the program, but where has this talent gone in the NBA?
The NBA Draft hasn’t been nice to the Illini in quite some time. We have had good picks but nothing toward the top of the draft.
Historically, there have been numerous players selected in the top 10 and in the first half of the first round, though. The NBA Draft is going to start being a bigger part of the program moving forward, too.
Here are the top 10 highest NBA Draft picks in the history of Illinois basketball
- Deron Williams – 1st round – 3rd pick
The 2000s were the golden age of Illinois basketball. Deron Williams was one of the leaders of that era, and he was rewarded in the 2005 NBA Draft. Williams was selected by the Utah Jazz with pick No. 3 in the first round.
Williams is still the highest draft pick in Illinois basketball history. He made the All-Rookie team in his first season in the NBA. He also went on to be a three-time All-Star and made the All-NBA squad two times. For much of the first five to seven years of his career, Williams and Chris Paul were neck and neck career-wise. Williams then dealt with some injuries, which derailed his Hall of Fame career.
- Kendall Gill – 1st round – 5th pick
The team before the team was in the late 1980s. Illinois had a special Final Four run back then, and one of the leaders on that team was Kendall Gill. He was so talented that the Charlotte Hornets took him with pick No. 5 overall in the first round of the 1990 NBA Draft.
Gill had a good NBA career. He made the 1991 All-Rookie team, and he would go on to average 13.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game in the NBA. Whenever you can play 15 seasons in any sport, you know you are doing something right.
- Red Kerr – 1st round – 6th pick
Illinois had some legends of the game back in the 1950s. There were some special runs by these squads, and Johnny “Red” Kerr was a crucial part of the success. With pick No. 6 in the first round of the 1954 NBA Draft, the Syracuse Nationals selected the Illini star.
Kerr went on to have a great NBA career. He was a three-time All-Star and even won the NBA Championship in his first season with the Nationals. Kerr played 12 seasons in the NBA and averaged 13.8 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game.
- George Bon Salle – 1st round – 7th pick
The Syracuse Nationals loved them some Illinois flair in the 1950s. Just a couple of years after taking Kerr, they came back in the first round with pick No. 7 overall in the 1957 NBA Draft and picked George Bon Salle.
Bon Salle’s career in the NBA didn’t last long. In fact, he didn’t report to the NBA for years after being drafted. Bon Salle went over to Europe to play basketball instead of reporting to the Nationals. In 1961-62, he made his NBA debut with the Chicago Packers. Bon Salle played in three games and averaged 1.3 points per game.
- Don Sunderlage – 1st round – 9th pick
The 1950s were booming for the Illinois basketball program. Kerr and Bon Salle were both draft picks, but Don Sunderlage preceded the two. Sunderlage was selected No. 9 overall in the first round of the 1951 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia Warriors.
Sunderlage never suited up for the Warriors. He went into the military for a couple of years and made his NBA debut in 1953 with the Milwaukee Hawks. In two seasons in the NBA, Sunderlage averaged 7.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game.
- Meyers Leonard – 1st round – 11th pick
Most Illinois basketball fans want to forget the period of time between 2007 and 2018, but we did have some great talent in the mix during that time. Meyers Leonard was one of our greatest big men, and his talent enabled him to be picked No. 11 overall in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers.
Leonard had a quality career in the NBA. He averaged 5.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. His abilities on the court allowed him to become a crucial role player for many years. He was also a big part of the Miami Heat’s run to the NBA Finals in 2020.
- Derek Harper – 1st round – 11th pick
Illinois has had a few players selected No. 11 overall. Derek Harper has had one of the best NBA careers by an Illini player, and it all started when the Dallas Mavericks selected him No. 11 overall in the first round of the 1983 NBA Draft.
Harper didn’t make the All-Star team, but he was selected to two All-Defensive teams. He went on to average 13.3 points, 5.5 assists, and 2.4 rebounds per game during his career. The fact that Harper played 16 seasons is wildly impressive and shows his value in the NBA.
- Nick Anderson – 1st round – 11th pick
Paired up with Gill in the late 1980s, Illinois star Nick Anderson was one of the best to ever come through the program. With pick No. 11 in the first round of the 1989 NBA Draft, the upstart Orlando Magic selected Anderson.
This was the Magic’s first selection ever, as they were an expansion team in 1989. Anderson had a solid 13-year run in the NBA, too. He averaged 14.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. He was a big piece in the Magic getting to the NBA Finals in 1995 as well.
- Nick Weatherspoon – 1st round – 13th pick
We don’t talk about the 1970s too much because they were quite possibly the worst era of Illinois basketball. Some talented players still came out of this era, though. Nick Weatherspoon was good enough to be selected with pick No. 13 overall in the first round of the 1973 NBA Draft by the Capital Bullets.
Weatherspoon’s career started off well with a selection to the All-Rookie team. He then had trouble finding footing, averaging 9.0 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. Weatherspoon still played seven years in the NBA, which is an impressive feat in itself.
- Mike Price – 1st round – 17th overall
Again, the 1970s weren’t great for Illinois basketball, so some of these players are probably forgotten historically. With pick No. 17 overall in the first round of the 1970 NBA Draft, the New York Knicks selected Illinois guard Mike Price.
The NBA was a struggle for Price. He played three seasons with three different teams, and Price averaged 3.2 points and 1.3 rebounds per contest. He was a part of the Knicks team that went to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1971, and the following year, he won the ABA Championship with the Indiana Pacers.