With the NBA and NHL champs crowned, the NBA Draft over, and football still weeks away, we’ve officially hit the dog days of summer. The transfer portal’s quiet, rosters are set, and all that’s left is baseball.

So, what better time to spark a debate? Here’s my Illinois All-Quarter Century Team—the best starting five and bench from the past 25 years.

Note: This is based on a player’s best single season at Illinois—not their full career.

My Illinois All-Quarter Century Starting Five (2000–2025)

Assembling this lineup has taken more time than I care to admit. There are too many legends, not enough spots. Here it is:

PG – Deron Williams (2004–05)

• 12.5 PPG | 6.8 APG (Big Ten leader) | 3.6 RPG
• All-American, NCAA All-Tournament Team, All-Big Ten

We’ll lead off with the steady hand behind the revered 37–2 squad. Averaging a conference-best 6.8 assists per game, he didn’t just run the offense—he made it hum like a luxury engine. D-Will was the brains of the operation and a no-brainer for this team.

G – Dee Brown (2004–05)

• 13.3 PPG | 4.5 APG | 2.7 RPG | 43% from 3
• All-American, Big Ten Player of the Year, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, All-Big Ten

If Deron was the engine, Dee Brown was the sparkplug. He brought swagger, pace, and an unmatched ability to electrify the crowd. Brown’s shooting was elite (43% from three), and his defensive tenacity earned him both Big Ten Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year—a ridiculous feat. Simply put, Dee Brown is another non-negotiable for this lineup.

F – Ayo Dosunmu (2020–21)

• 20.1 PPG | 5.3 APG | 6.3 RPG
• All-American, All-Big Ten, Big Ten Tournament MVP

Ayo Dosunmu, who brought Illinois basketball back to national relevance, undoubtedly deserves a spot on the starting lineup of this All-Quarter Century Team. He averaged 20 a game, led the Illini to their first Big Ten Tournament title since 2005, and helped secure a No. 1 seed in March (we don’t talk about how that ended). With his remarkable ability to deliver in crucial moments, he would be my go-to player for this team in late-game situations.

He’ll have to play forward to find a time on this team’s starting lineup, but I think it’s a role he can play as a bigger guard.

F – Terrence Shannon Jr. (2023–24)

• 23.0 PPG | 4.0 RPG | 2.4 APG
• All-American, All-Big Ten, Big Ten Tournament MVP

This may be the pick that ruffles some feathers. Recency bias? Maybe. But Terrence Shannon Jr. was an absolute force during the 2023–24 season, averaging 23 points per game and putting together one of the most electric postseason runs in program history. He seemed to refuse to let his team lose during his time in Champaign, and for that and several other reasons, he earns a place on my All-Quarter Century Team.

C – Kofi Cockburn (2021–22)

• 20.9 PPG | 10.6 RPG (Big Ten leader) | 59.3% FG
• All-American, All-Big Ten

With a smaller lineup elsewhere, this team needed a bruiser in the paint—enter Kofi Cockburn, a walking double-double. Averaging over 20 points and a Big Ten-best 10.6 rebounds per game, Kofi was a walking double-double and an unstoppable interior presence. What a dominant presence he was. When Kofi got deep post position, it was basically two points and a broken spirit for the defender. Rim protector, rebound vacuum, and low-post destroyer. He’s the anchor for this team.

Bench:

Luther Head (’04-05), Brian Cook (’02-03) (BTPOY), Frank Williams (’00-01) (BTPOY), Coleman Hawkins (’23-24), Meyers Leonard (’11-12), Malcolm Hill (’15-16), Trent Frazier (’18-19), Kasparas Jakucionis (’24-25)

The Fit:

I picture this squad operating a lot like how Purdue weaponized Zach Edey—except a lot more fun to root for. Park Kofi on the block, surround him with shooters like Dee Brown (who casually shot 43% from deep in 2005), and let Deron Williams run pick-and-rolls into oblivion. And when your bench features Luther Head plus two Big Ten Players of the Year in Brian Cook and Frank Williams…you’re cooking with gas.

Disagree?

Disagree? Good. That’s half the fun. Just know that if you’re leaving Ayo Dosunmu, Dee Brown, or Deron Williams out of your starting lineup, it’s gonna be tough for me to take anything else you say seriously. But feel free to yell at me anyway.

I fully expect some fans—especially from the early 2000s era—to be yelling at their screens right now over who I left off. Fair. But as a recent graduate of 2023, it is hard for me not to be partial to the younger crop of players who made me fall in love with this program. This is my All-Quarter Century Team, and I’m sticking to it.

Hit the comments or roast me over on X/Twitter (@AnthonyRaffone1), where I will start tweeting about all things Illini hoops and dropping more blogs right here at The Champaign Room.

And since we’re all just killing time until the 2025-26 basketball season kicks off, feel free to send some more hypothetical team ideas my way. This offseason isn’t gonna entertain itself.