The Top 5 Illini Basketball Coaches of All Time
Whether you’re a die-hard Illini fan or just a casual observer of college basketball there’s no denying that the University of Illinois has had some great coaches over the years. In fact, five of the school’s coaches have been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
So, who are the top 5 Illini Basketball coaches of all time? Read on to find out!
Lou Henson
In a program with as storied a history as Illinois basketball it’s tough to put any one coach above the rest. But if we had to narrow it down to the top five, here are the coaches who would make the cut.
Lou Henson is easily one of the best coaches in Illinois history. He led the Illini to 21 postseason appearances, including 12 NCAA tournaments and four trips to the Final Four. Henson also won six conference championships and was named National Coach of the Year in 1987-88.
Harold “Red” Grange
Red Grange was one of the first superstars of college football He played for the University of Illinois from 1923-1925 and helped lead the team to a National Championship in 1924. After his collegiate career, Grange went on to play professionally for the Chicago Bears and New York Yankees He was inducted into the college football Hall of Fame in 1951 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963.
Grange returned to his alma mater in 1930 to become the Head Coach of the Illini basketball team He coached for two seasons, compiling a record of 28-16. His best season came in 1931-32, when he led the Illini to a 17-7 record and a berth in the NCAA tournament The Illini lost in the first round to USC, but Grange’s team was one of only four teams to make it to the tournament that year.
Grange is considered one of the top five Illini Basketball coaches of all time thanks to his successful coaching career and his place in college football history.
Phil Jackson
Phil Jackson is one of the most successful Basketball Coaches of all time. He has coached two different teams to a total of eleven NBA championships and he has a winning percentage of .705. Jackson is also the only coach in NBA history to win four consecutive championships. He coached the Chicago Bulls from 1989 to 1998, and then he coached the Los Angeles Lakers from 2000 to 2010.
Dick Vitale
Dick Vitale is an analyst on ESPN. He is also a college basketball commentator. Dick Vitale was the head coach of the University of Detroit men’s Basketball team from 1973 to 1977. He then became the Head Coach of the Pistons from 1979 to 1992.
Lou Carnesecca
Lou Carnesecca is a basketball legend He coached at St. John’s University for 24 years, winning 516 games and losing 200. He is also a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
