Illinois Fighting Illini - Famous Athletes

Famous Athletes

• Ron Acks - football, played professionally for the Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, Boston Patriots and Green Bay Packers.
• Nick Anderson – basketball (1987–1989), played professionally for the NBA's Orlando Magic and Sacramento Kings
• James Augustine – basketball (2002–2006), played two seasons for the NBA's Orlando Magic, all-time leader in rebounds at Illinois
• Kenny Battle – basketball, played in 4 NBA seasons for the Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors
• Arrelious Benn – football, wide receiver for the National Football League's Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2010–present), holds freshman receiving record at Illinois.
• Lou Boudreau – baseball, played professionally for and managed the Cleveland Indians, and an enshrined member of the Baseball Hall of Fame
• Dee Brown – basketball (2002–2006), played two seasons for the Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards, 2005 Consensus All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year
• Aspen Burkett – track & field (1994–1998), Freshmen Athlete of the year 1995, multiple All-American Indoor and Outdoor Big Ten Champion, World Team 1995, Olympic Trials 1996
• Dick Butkus – football (1962–1964), played linebacker for the NFL's Chicago Bears, member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Brian Cook – basketball (1999–2003), Third all time scorer for the Illini, currently plays professionally for the Los Angeles Clippers
• Vontae Davis - football, cornerback for the National Football League's Miami Dolphins (2009–present) freshman all-American, 2x Jim Thorpe semifinalist (2007,2008)
• Ken Dilger – football (1991–1994), played professionally for the Indianapolis Colts and Tampa Bay Buccaneers; starting Tight End in Super Bowl XXXVII
• Charles Carroll "Tony" Eason – football, (1979–1983) played professionally for the New England Patriots; led team to Super Bowl XX
• Dike Eddleman – football, basketball, and track and field (1947–49), also tied for 2nd at the 1948 Summer Olympics in the high jump
• Perdita Felicien - track and field, first female in Illinois history to win a gold medal in an individual event at the World Championships
• Darrin Fletcher - baseball, former catcher for the Toronto Blue Jays
• Jeff George – football, first overall pick of 1990 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts, also played for a variety of teams including the Atlanta Falcons, Oakland Raiders, and the Washington Redskins
• Kendall Gill – basketball (1986–1990), 1990 consensus All-American and Big 10 Player of the Year, played professionally for 15 seasons in the NBA
• Red Grange – football (1923–1925), played professionally for the NFL's Chicago Bears, and an enshrined member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
• George Halas – football, professional player, coach, and owner of the NFL's Chicago Bears, and an enshrined member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Lowell Hamilton - basketball (1985–1989), played Professional Basketball in Greece.
• Kevin Hardy – football, played professionally for the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, Dallas Cowboys, and Cincinnati Bengals
• Derek Harper – basketball (1980–1983), played professionally for 16 seasons in the NBA, ranked 11th all-time in steals and 17th in assists
• Luther Head – basketball (2001–2005), guard for the Sacramento Kings
• Brad Hopkins – football, first round pick in the 1993 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans and future all-pro.
• Eddie Johnson – basketball, played professionally for 17 seasons in the NBA, and the league's 35th all-time leading scorer
• Johnny "Red" Kerr – basketball, member of the 1952 Final Four team, played professionally for 11 seasons in the NBA, first head coach for both the Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns, and a former broadcaster for the Chicago Bulls.
• George Kerr - track & field (1958-1960), all-time Big Ten Olympian list, champion sprinter and 400/800 meter runner from Jamaica, 1960 Rome, Italy Summer Olympic bronze medal 800 meter winner
• Don Laz - track & field, record setting American pole vaulter and silver medalist in Pole Vault in the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland
• Herbert "Herb" Henry McKenley - track & field (1946–48), NCAA and Olympic champion sprinter and 400 meter runner from Jamaica.
• Rashard Mendenhall – football, running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
• Ray Nitschke – football, played professionally for the NFL's Green Bay Packers, and an enshrined member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Ken Norman – basketball (1984–1987), played professionally for 10 seasons in the NBA
• Harold Osborn – track & field (1918–1922), won two gold medals in the 1924 Summer Olympics, charter member of U.S. Track & Field Hall of Fame
• D. A. Points – golf, PGA Golfer (1999–present)
• Roger Powell, Jr. – basketball (2001–2005), played briefly for the Utah Jazz
• Marlon Primous – football, played briefly for the Chicago Bears
• Bogie Redmon – basketball, 1962–65
• Simeon Rice – football, played professionally for the NFL's Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Bob Richards – track & field, pole vaulter and decathlete, Olympic pole vault champion, 1952 and 1956
• Dave Scholz - basketball, former NBA player, All-American basketball player
• Scott Spiezio – baseball, has played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Oakland Athletics, Anaheim Angels, and Seattle Mariners
• Justin Spring – gymnastics (2002–2006), member of the bronze medal-winning men's gymnastics team at the 2008 Summer Olympics
• Cindy Stein – basketball, head women's basketball coach at the University of Missouri since 1998
• Steve Stricker – golf (1986–1990), PGA Golfer (1990–present)
• Marques Sullivan - football, Playboy All-American Tackle that played 4 season with NFL's Buffalo Bills, New York Giants, and New England Patriots
• Craig Virgin – track & field, long-distance runner, 1975 NCAA cross country champion, 1980 and 1981 world cross-country champion.
• Deron Williams – basketball (2002–2005), point guard for the Brooklyn Nets, third overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft.
• Frank Williams – basketball, has been part of the NBA's New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, Chicago Bulls, and Los Angeles Clippers
• Isiah John "Juice" Williams - football (2006–2009), NFL Free Agent