Illinois Players In The NBA: Who’s Who?

A lot of great basketball players come from Illinois, and many of them have gone on to have successful careers in the NBA. But who are the best of the best? Here’s a look at some of the top Illinois players in the NBA today

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Derrick Rose

Derrick Rose from Chicago, Illinois, was the first ever Sony PlayStation Player of the Year during his time at Simeon Career Academy He then went on to play for the University of Memphis’ basketball team for one year before being drafted by his hometown Chicago Bulls as the first overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft

Over his eight seasons with the Bulls, Rose became one of the most exciting and popular players in the league. In 2010-11, he was named the NBA Most Valuable Player after becoming the youngest player in league history to win the award. He was also a three-time All-Star and was named to the All-NBA First Team in 2011.

In 2016, Rose was traded to the New York Knicks where he played one season before signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017. After ten games with Cleveland, he was traded to Minnesota Timberwolves where he currently plays alongside fellow Chicago native Jimmy Butler

Jimmy Butler

Jimmy Butler is a small forward for the Chicago Bulls He was drafted in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft with the 30th overall pick. He is a four-time NBA All-Star and has been named to the All-NBA Third Team twice. In 2015, he was named the NBA Most Improved Player

Dwyane Wade

Dwyane Wade nicknamed “Flash” or “D-Wade”, is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Marquette Golden Eagles where he was deemed Marquette’s greatest player of all time. Wade was drafted fifth overall in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat He was named to the All-Rookie Team and the All-Star team the following twelve seasons. In his third season, Wade helped lead the Miami Heat to their first NBA Championship in franchise history and was named the 2006 NBA Finals MVP. At 2006, he was named Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated magazine. In 2007, he formed a lethal combination with Lebron James and Chris Bosh, which led to him being voted one of that year’s starters for that season’s All-Star game alongside Kobe Bryant he eventually helped lead them to their second title in 2012. After winning gold medals in both the Bejing 2008 and London 2012 Olympic Games Wade has established himself as one of the most decorated players in NBA history

Luol Deng

Luol Deng, born in Sudan, is a small forward for the Chicago Bulls He was the seventh overall pick in the 2004 NBA draft In his ten seasons with the Bulls, Deng has averaged 16 points and six rebounds per game He was a two-time All-Star for Chicago and was named to the All-NBA Third Team in 2012. Deng has also represented Great Britain in international competition.

Taj Gibson

Taj Gibson is a professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association He played college basketball for the University of Southern California As a junior, he was named the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year and was an honorable mention All-American. He was drafted by the Bulls in the first round of the 2009 NBA draft

Gibson has won two conference titles with the Bulls, one in 2011 and one in 2012. He has also been selected to play in two NBA All-Star Games, in 2015 and 2016.

Joakim Noah

Joakim Noah is a French Professional Basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played College Basketball for the Florida Gators winning back-to-back NCAA Championships in 2006 and 2007. The Chicago Bulls selected Noah with the ninth overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft Noah is a two-Ime Nba All-Star and was named to the All-NBA First Team in 2014. He also was a member of the USA Men’s national team that won gold medals at the 2010 FIBA World Championship and the 2014 Fiba Basketball World Cup

Carlos Boozer

Carlos Boozer is a Power Forward for the Chicago Bulls He was born in Aschaffenburg, Germany, but he grew up in Alaska and Kentucky. He played College Basketball at Duke University He was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2002. He has also played for the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Kirk Hinrich

Kirk Hinrich is a well-known player in the NBA who has played for the Chicago Bulls Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards He was born in suburban Chicago and played college basketball at the University of Kansas Hinrich was drafted by the Bulls in 2003 and quickly became a key player on the team. He is known for his defense and Three-point shooting and he has been named to the NBA All-Defensive team twice. In recent years Hinrich has seen a decline in his playing time but he remains a popular player among fans.

Luol Deng

Luol Deng is a Sudanese-British professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is a two-time NBA All-Star Prior to his NBA Career Deng played one season of college basketball for Duke University He is married to Celine Dion’s niece, Michelle.

Deng was born in what is now South Sudan but his family moved to Egypt and then the United Kingdom when he was young due to the Second Sudanese Civil War As a teenager, he progressed through the youth ranks of British Basketball earning a spot on the England Under-16 National Team He earned MVP honors at the Nike Hoop Summit in 2001.

Deng attracted the attention of several American colleges with his play in London’s Parks and Recreation department’s leagues. He ultimately decided to attend Duke University in the United States In his only season with Duke, he helped lead them to a NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship appearance. After his freshman year at Duke, Deng entered the 2004 NBA Draft where he was drafted seventh overall by the Chicago Bulls

Ben Gordon

Ben Gordon is a former NBA player who played for the Chicago Bulls Detroit Pistons Charlotte Bobcats and Orlando Magic He was drafted in the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft with the third overall pick by the Bulls. He helped lead the Bulls to the playoffs in his rookie season and was named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2005. He also helped lead the Pistons to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2009. After his time in Detroit, he played for Charlotte and Orlando before retiring in 2015.