The 1989 Illinois Basketball Roster: Where Are They Now?

We take a look at what happened to the members of the 1989 Illinois basketball team after their historic season.

Introduction

The 1989 Illinois men’s Basketball team represents the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in the 1989 NCAA Division I men’s Basketball season They were coached by Lou Henson in his 18th season as Head Coach of the Illini.

The 1989 Illini finished the season with an overall record of 37–2, a conference record of 15–1, and won the Big Ten conference championship The team was also the national runner-up, losing to Michigan in the NCAA tournament Championship game

This was also illinois’ first ever number 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament They defeated Texas El Paso, Xavier, and Syracuse to advance to their first ever Final Four appearance.

In the Final Four they defeated Cinderella story Oklahoma before losing to eventual National Champion Michigan in the Championship game The team was ranked No. 1 in both the Associated Press (AP) and Coaches’ Polls for four weeks during the season. They finished second in both polls behind only Michigan..

The 1989 Illinois basketball Roster

The 1989 Illinois basketball roster featured some of the best players in the school’s history. Here’s a look at what they’re doing now.

– Kenny Battle: Currently an Assistant Coach at his alma mater, Battle has been on staff at Illinois since 2004.
– Bruce Douglas: After a successful career overseas, Douglas is now a commentator for basketball games in Europe.
– Nick Anderson One of the most successful players from the 1989 team, Anderson had a long NBA Career before retiring in 2006. He is now an assistant coach for the Orlando Magic
– Steve Bardo: Currently works as a television analyst for college basketball games.
– Marcus Liberty: Played in the NBA for several years before going to play in Europe. He is now retired from Professional Basketball

Where Are They Now?

Since their last game together as a team, the 1989 Illinois Basketball Roster has gone their separate ways. Some have had successful careers in the NBA, while others have gone into coaching or broadcasting. Here’s a look at what some of these players have been up to in the years since their time on the court together.

Kendall Gill: After a successful NBA career, Gill has been working as a basketball analyst for NBC Sports Chicago since 2016.

Stephen Bardo: Bardo has been working as a college basketball analyst for ESPN since 2000.

Nick Anderson: Anderson co-owns a real estate development company in Chicago.

Kenny Battle: Battle is currently an assistant coach for the men’s basketball team at his alma mater, Pepperdine University.

Marcus Liberty: Liberty works as a corporate trainer and Motivational Speaker

What They’re Doing Now

It’s been more than 30 years since the Illinois Basketball team of 1989 won the NCAA championship and for some of those players, it feels like only yesterday. For others, time has moved on and they’ve found themselves in different roles both on and off the court. Here’s a look at what some of those team members are doing now.

• Chris Gandy – After a successful college career, Chris played professional basketball in Europe for several years before returning to the United States to pursue a career in coaching. He’s currently an assistant coach at his alma mater, Bradley University

• Steve Bardo – Steve enjoyed a long career in the NBA before retiring and becoming a TV analyst. He currently works as an analyst for ESPN and the Big Ten Network.

• Kendall Gill – Kendall had a successful NBA career before moving into broadcasting. He currently works as a game analyst for the Chicago Bulls radio network

• Kenny Battle – Kenny played professionally overseas for many years before returning to the United States to join his brother, Michael, as co-owner of Battle Sports Performance a training facility for athletes of all ages.

• Marcus Liberty – Marcus played briefly in the NBA before embarking on a journeyman professional career that took him all over the world. He is currently living in Australia where he runs Liberty Basketball a youth development organization.

Where They Are Now

It’s been thirty years since the Illinois basketball team won the NCAA Championship, and a lot has changed for the players on that roster. Let’s take a look at where they are now.

Dennis Hopson, who was the leading scorer on the team, is now a basketball analyst. He’s also been involved in several businesses, including a car dealership and a real estate company.

Kenny Battle, who was second on the team in scoring, is now a motivational speaker and runs a youth Basketball Camp He’s also involved in several charities, including one that provides support to families of children with cancer.

Nick Anderson, who was third on the team in scoring, is now an assistant coach for the Orlando Magic He’s also done some work as a commentator for NBA TV.

Steve Bardo, who was fourth on the team in scoring, is now a College Basketball analyst for ESPN and FOX Sports He’s also involved in several charities, including one that helps at-risk youth stay in school and out of gangs.

Craig Hodges, who was fifth on the team in scoring, is now an artist and author. His paintings have been featured in galleries across the country, and he’s written two books: one about his time with the Chicago Bulls and one about motivational speaking.

How They’ve Stayed Connected

The 1989 Illinois Basketball Roster Where Are They Now?
Since their time playing together on the court, the members of the 1989 Illinois basketball team have stayed connected in a variety of ways.

Some have remained in close touch, talking or texting on a regular basis. Others have kept in touch more sporadically, catching up when they can. But whether they talk often or only occasionally, the bond they formed while playing together still runs deep.

There are a few things that have helped them Stay Connected over the years. First, many of them live in the same general area, so they have opportunities to see each other fairly often. Second, they have a group chat where they can all stay up to date on each other’s lives. And third, they make an effort to get together for an annual reunion.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of their championship season, so they are planning a special reunion to celebrate. It will be a chance for them to reminisce about old times and catch up on what’s been going on in each other’s lives. They are all looking forward to it and are already making plans to get together again soon after that.

What They Remember Most

For the players on the 1989 Illinois basketball team their most lasting memory is not of their on-court accomplishments, but of the way their season ended. The team, which was nationally ranked for most of the season, was upset in the second round of the NCAA tournament by tiny Siena College.

It was a crushing loss for a team that had expected to make a deep run in the tournament. Many of the players still vividly remember the locker room after the game, when they had to face reporters and answer questions about what went wrong.

In the years since that disappointing end to their season, most of the members of the 1989 Illinois team have gone on to successful careers. Here is a look at where they are now:

What They’re Most Proud Of

The 1989 Illinois basketball team had some of the best players in the country. They went on to have careers in the NBA and even coaching. But what are they most proud of now?

For some, it’s their love for the game that keeps them going. others, it’s their commitment to helping the next generation of players.

return to American and play for the Orlando Magic He is now an assistant coach for the Chicago Bulls
Darrell Griffith was drafted number 2 overall in the NBA draft by the Utah Jazz He played 10 seasons in the NBA before retiring in 1997. He is now a youth counselor and motivational speaker

What They Miss Most

It’s been 30 years since the most dominant college Basketball team in history took the court. The 1989 Illinois Basketball Team went 37-0 and won the NCAA championship, cementing their place as one of the greatest teams ever assembled.

Three decades later, many of the members of that team have gone on to successful careers in a variety of fields. But what do they all have in common? What do they miss most about their time on that historic team?

For starters, they miss the camaraderie and competitive spirit that came with being part of such a special group. “We were like brothers,” says former guard Kenny Battle. “We hung out together all the time, whether we were playing basketball or just hanging out.”

They also miss the feeling of being part of something bigger than themselves. “It was an honor to be a part of that team and to represent the University of Illinois ” says former forward Andrew Lang. “We took a lot of pride in our performance on and off the court.”

And finally, they miss the simple joy of playing the game they love. “Basketball was my life back then,” says former center Lowell Hamilton. “I loved everything about it: the practices, the games, even just shooting around by myself. I miss being around the game every day.”

The members of the 1989 Illinois Basketball team may not be suiting up for games anymore, but they will always have their memories—and their friendships—to cherish from their time as champions.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the 1989 Illinois Basketball team was one of the best in school history. The starting five of Ken Norman Nick Anderson, Kendall Gill, Marcus Liberty and Steve Bardo was one of the most talented and versatile groups ever assembled. They were able to play multiple positions and scored in a variety of ways. All five starters went on to have successful NBA careers

The bench was also full of talent with future NBA players such as Vinson Smiley, Richard Pelkman and Robert Archibald. The team went on to have a great season, winning the Big Ten regular season title and advancing to the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament

Though they ultimately fell short of their goal of winning a National Championship the 1989 Illinois basketball team will always be remembered as one of the greatest in school history.