Flyin' High Again
http://www.atomicsportsmedia.com/articles/196/1/Flyin-High-Again.html
Chris Sokolowski
By Chris Sokolowski
Published on 03/2/2006
The rise to the top of the college basketball world for the Fighting Illini all began with the signing of two key recruits.
While I was watching Illinois' Senior Night game with Iowa, the comment was made that Dee Brown was possibly the most important recruit in the recent history of Illini basketball.
If recent history starts just after the legendary Flyin' Illini team of 1989, I would have to agree. But I also believe there was another recruit that was just as important; and we would be remiss not to mention him in the discussion, because without him, there is no Dee Brown at Illinois.
In the early 1990s, times were not so good. After the legendary Flyin' Illini Final Four team of 1989, the Illinois basketball program quickly found itself at a low point. Allegations of recruiting violations involving Deon Thomas landed the program on NCAA probation with a reduced number of scholarships and a postseason ban. The program was also at a crossroads with its legendary coach of almost 30 years, Lou Henson. All of these factors led to recruiting woes that translated onto the court. I would go into more detail, but the emotional scars have yet to heal.
To quote Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock from back in the day, "It Takes Two" - and in the case of Illini basketball those two were Dee Brown, and before him Sergio McClain. Obviously the coaches in place since Henson's "retirement" were also keys to the rise of the program, but on the player/recruit end these two were the most influential.
Illini fans fondly recall the day McClain signed. Now, he was no where near the national persona that Dee Brown had become — and therefore likely an unknown outside of the region. For that reason, I feel obligated to share his impact.
Sergio McClain brought a confidence and defensive toughness that the teams just prior to his arrival didn't really have along with leadership by example — he fully expected to win every game. He didn't care about the recent struggles of the program. He felt he could change things, and he did.
McClain was sort of like patient zero for the revival of Illini basketball. A 6'4" guard/forward who looked more like a tight end, McClain was a four-time high school basketball champion, an Illinois Mr. Basketball and a high profile recruiting prospect. On top of that, McClain's teammate Marcus Griffin — a 6'9" center and another blue chip prospect — had always planned on playing with McClain in college. Together they convinced another player that you may have heard of to join them at Illinois, highly touted point guard Frank Williams.
McClain's tenure at Illinois started with a share of the Big Ten title as a freshman, playing quality minutes alongside a group of seniors left over from the last years of the Henson reign. Two years later, with Griffin transferring in from a junior college, Williams in the fold and several other talented players joining the program each year, the Illini were poised to jump into the national spotlight. In 2001, McClain's senior season, this group came within six points of the Final Four, losing to Arizona in a game dominated by the officials still referred to in Illinois as Walton-gate.
By this time, the program was headed in the right direction. The year following his departure was slightly disappointing, with the team making the Sweet 16 and marked the last season for Frank Williams and many of the players from the Elite Eight team. The program could continue its rise, or revert back to mediocrity. In stepped Dee Brown.
Similar to Sergio, Dee brought other high level players to Illinois with him, convincing Deron Williams and James Augustine to commit to Illinois. With his outspoken and flashy style, warm charisma, a genuine love of being an Illini — along with the talent to back it up — the "One Man Fast Break" quickly became a fan favorite and by his junior year was the face of a top ranked Illini squad, appearing on national publications in his trademark headband and orange mouthpiece. In their freshman year, the big three played significant minutes alongside stalwart Brian Cook to keep Illinois near the top of the Big Ten.
Three years and a Final Four later, he and Augie are all that remain from the core of players that took North Carolina the distance in the Championship Game last year. This year's team is young. Dee has had to play almost every minute, he's the focal point of opposing defenses, his shooting numbers are down and he's had to learn to play the point all over again. But he doesn't complain. Despite these challenges, the team is ranked in the top 10 and will likely be a factor in the tournament if the young players come through.
As Dee wraps up his career and moves on, he leaves the program in good hands. With the tradition built over the last 15 years in hand, Bruce Weber has landed a commitment from the nation's top ranked junior class shooting guard, Eric Gordon out of Indianapolis. Just like Sergio and Dee before him, he is talking about convincing a few friends to join him — friends from his AAU team that just happen to be highly recruited prospects. Sound familiar?
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The rise to the top of the college basketball world for the Fighting Illini all began with the signing of two key recruits.
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While I was watching Illinois' Senior Night game with Iowa, the comment was made that Dee Brown was possibly the most important recruit in the recent history of Illini basketball.
If recent history starts just after the legendary Flyin' Illini team of 1989, I would have to agree. But I also believe there was another recruit that was just as important; and we would be remiss not to mention him in the discussion, because without him, there is no Dee Brown at Illinois.
In the early 1990s, times were not so good. After the legendary Flyin' Illini Final Four team of 1989, the Illinois basketball program quickly found itself at a low point. Allegations of recruiting violations involving Deon Thomas landed the program on NCAA probation with a reduced number of scholarships and a postseason ban. The program was also at a crossroads with its legendary coach of almost 30 years, Lou Henson. All of these factors led to recruiting woes that translated onto the court. I would go into more detail, but the emotional scars have yet to heal.
To quote Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock from back in the day, "It Takes Two" - and in the case of Illini basketball those two were Dee Brown, and before him Sergio McClain. Obviously the coaches in place since Henson's "retirement" were also keys to the rise of the program, but on the player/recruit end these two were the most influential.
Illini fans fondly recall the day McClain signed. Now, he was no where near the national persona that Dee Brown had become — and therefore likely an unknown outside of the region. For that reason, I feel obligated to share his impact.
Sergio McClain brought a confidence and defensive toughness that the teams just prior to his arrival didn't really have along with leadership by example — he fully expected to win every game. He didn't care about the recent struggles of the program. He felt he could change things, and he did.
McClain was sort of like patient zero for the revival of Illini basketball. A 6'4" guard/forward who looked more like a tight end, McClain was a four-time high school basketball champion, an Illinois Mr. Basketball and a high profile recruiting prospect. On top of that, McClain's teammate Marcus Griffin — a 6'9" center and another blue chip prospect — had always planned on playing with McClain in college. Together they convinced another player that you may have heard of to join them at Illinois, highly touted point guard Frank Williams.
McClain's tenure at Illinois started with a share of the Big Ten title as a freshman, playing quality minutes alongside a group of seniors left over from the last years of the Henson reign. Two years later, with Griffin transferring in from a junior college, Williams in the fold and several other talented players joining the program each year, the Illini were poised to jump into the national spotlight. In 2001, McClain's senior season, this group came within six points of the Final Four, losing to Arizona in a game dominated by the officials still referred to in Illinois as Walton-gate.
By this time, the program was headed in the right direction. The year following his departure was slightly disappointing, with the team making the Sweet 16 and marked the last season for Frank Williams and many of the players from the Elite Eight team. The program could continue its rise, or revert back to mediocrity. In stepped Dee Brown.
Similar to Sergio, Dee brought other high level players to Illinois with him, convincing Deron Williams and James Augustine to commit to Illinois. With his outspoken and flashy style, warm charisma, a genuine love of being an Illini — along with the talent to back it up — the "One Man Fast Break" quickly became a fan favorite and by his junior year was the face of a top ranked Illini squad, appearing on national publications in his trademark headband and orange mouthpiece. In their freshman year, the big three played significant minutes alongside stalwart Brian Cook to keep Illinois near the top of the Big Ten.
Three years and a Final Four later, he and Augie are all that remain from the core of players that took North Carolina the distance in the Championship Game last year. This year's team is young. Dee has had to play almost every minute, he's the focal point of opposing defenses, his shooting numbers are down and he's had to learn to play the point all over again. But he doesn't complain. Despite these challenges, the team is ranked in the top 10 and will likely be a factor in the tournament if the young players come through.
As Dee wraps up his career and moves on, he leaves the program in good hands. With the tradition built over the last 15 years in hand, Bruce Weber has landed a commitment from the nation's top ranked junior class shooting guard, Eric Gordon out of Indianapolis. Just like Sergio and Dee before him, he is talking about convincing a few friends to join him — friends from his AAU team that just happen to be highly recruited prospects. Sound familiar?