When Illinois’ 2004 Mr. Basketball Shaun Livingston decided to skip college and go straight to the NBA, he became the fourth of the last 10 Mr. Illinois winners to take the leap and stick the landing.
In 2001, the Bulls made Thornwood High School’s Eddy Curry the No. 4 pick overall.
In 2000, East St. Louis’ Darius Miles went No. 3 overall to the Los Angeles Clippers before he moved on to play in Cleveland and now Portland.
And in 1995, Farragut Academy’s Kevin Garnett went No. 5 to Minnesota. Since then, Garnett has signed a $100 million contract extension and picked up this season’s MVP trophy.
But while NBA scouts are drooling over the 6-foot-7 Peoria Central grad’s NBA potential, the Mr. Illinois award is no guarantee — or pre-requisite — for pro basketball glory. Plenty of non-winners (Michael Finley, Antoine Walker) have found NBA glory, and many winners have not.
Here’s a look at the state’s previous Mr. Basketballs:
| |
| YEAR |
PLAYER |
HIGH SCHOOL |
COLLEGE |
NBA |
| 2003 |
Shannon Brown |
Proviso East |
Michigan State |
— |
| 2002 |
Dee Brown |
Proviso East |
Illinois |
— |
| 2001 |
Eddy Curry |
Thornwood |
No college |
2-year NBA veteran |
| 2000 |
Darius Miles |
East St. Louis |
No college |
4-year NBA veteran |
| 1999 |
Brian Cook |
Lincoln |
Illinois |
1-year NBA veteran |
| 1998 |
Frank Williams |
Peoria Manual |
Illinois |
2-year NBA veteran |
| 1997 |
Sergio McClain |
Peoria Manual |
Illinois |
Did not play in NBA |
| 1996 |
Ronnie Fields |
Farragut |
No college |
Did not play in NBA |
| 1995 |
Kevin Garnett |
Farragut |
No college |
Nine-year NBA veteran |
| 1994 |
Jerry Gee |
St. Martin de Porres |
Illinois |
Did not play in NBA |
| 1993 |
Rashard Griffith |
King |
Wisconsin |
Drafted by Milwaukee, never played |
| 1992 |
Chris Collins |
Glenbrook North |
Duke |
Did not play in NBA |
| 1991 |
Howard Nathan |
Peoria Manual |
DePaul |
Part of one season with Atlanta |
| 1990 |
Jamie Brandon |
King |
LSU |
Did not play in NBA |
| 1989 |
Deon Thomas |
Simeon |
Illinois |
Drafted by Dallas, never played |
| 1988 |
Eric Anderson |
St. Francis de Sales |
Indiana |
2 seasons with New York |
| 1987 |
Marcus Liberty |
King |
Illinois |
5 seasons with Denver |
| 1986 |
Nick Anderson |
Simeon |
Illinois |
13 seasons with Orlando, Sacramento, Memphis |
| 1985 |
Ed Horton |
Springfield Lanphier |
Iowa |
1 season with Washington |
| 1984 |
Brian Sloan |
McLeansboro |
Indiana |
Did not play in NBA |
| 1983 |
Marty Simmons |
Lawrenceville |
Evansville |
Did not play in NBA |
| 1982 |
Bruce Douglas |
Quincy |
Illinois |
1 season with Sacramento |
| 1981 |
Walter Downing |
Providence |
Marquette |
Did not play in NBA |
|
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