List of All Illinois Basketball NBA Draft Picks Since 1950

List of All Illini Basketball Draft Picks Since 1950

While we await Terrance Shannon Jr, Marcus Domask, and others to potentially get the call in tonight’s Draft (7 pm – ABC), I want to highlight a list of all NBA Draft picks for the Illinois Basketball program since 1950. Although there was a period in the mid-2010’s when Illinois was struggling to produce NBA Talent, the tides have changed. Without a doubt, the program is on the rise and should have more NBA talent in the years to come.

Since the year 1950, 65 players have been drafted to the pros from Illinois. Most recently, Ayo Dosunmu got the special call in the 2nd round of the 2021 NBA draft. Certainly, it was a special day for Illinois Basketball fans, as this was the first professional draft pick for the fighting Illini since Meyers Leonard in 2012. In the 2024 NBA draft, Illini fans are hopeful that Terrence Shannon Jr. will become the first Illini to be selected in the first round since 2012. This would certainly be a huge honor for Illinois basketball and Terrence.

Certainly, there is a rich history behind Illini hoops, and many great players have left their mark in Champaign Illinois. Below, you can check out the list of all professional NBA draft picks from the Illinois Basketball program since 1947.

Credit; John K Kim – Chicago Tribune, July 30th 2021

All Illinois Basketball NBA Draft Picks

Official NBA Draft Begins (1950-1990)

• 1950
  • 2nd round, 18th pick – Wally Osterkorn, FC – Chicago Stags
  • 7th round, 76th pick – Bill Erickson, G – Tri-Cities Blackhawks
• 1951
  • 1st round, 9th pick – Don Sunderlage, SG – Philadelphia Warriors (PHI to MIL)
  • 7th round, 63rd pick – Ted Beach, GF – Indianapolis Olympians
• 1952
  • 6th round, 60th pick – Rod Fletcher, F – Minneapolis Lakers
• 1953
  • 3rd round, 19th pick – Irv Bemoras, GF – Milwaukee Hawks
  • 3rd round, 20th pick – Jim Bredar, G – Fort Wayne Pistons
• 1954
  • 1st round, 6th pick – Red Kerr, FC – Syracuse Nationals
• 1956
  • 2nd round, 12th pick – Paul Judson, F – Syracuse Nationals
• 1957
  • 1st round, 7th pick – George Bon Salle, C – Syracuse Nationals
  • 2nd round, 11th pick – Harvey Schmidt, F – Minneapolis Lakers
• 1958
  • 5th round, 36th pick – Don Ohl, SG – Philadelphia Warriors (PHI to DET)
• 1961
  • 8th round, 76th pick – John Wessels, C – Chicago Zephyrs
• 1963
  • 3rd round, 23rd pick – Bill Burwell, F – St. Louis Hawks
  • 4th round, 29th pick – Dave Downey, G – Golden State Warriors
  • 5th round, 39th pick – Bill Small, G – Detroit Pistons
• 1965
  • 2nd round, 12th pick – Tal Brody, G – Washington Wizards
  • 4th round, 30th pick – Skip Thoren, C – Washington Wizards
  • 10th round, 76th pick – Bogie Redmon, GF – Washington Wizards
  • 17th round, 109th pick – Roger Taylor, G – Washington Wizards
• 1966
  • 3rd round, 29th pick – Donnie Freeman, G – Philadelphia Sixers
• 1967
  • 16th round, 154th pick – Jimmy Dawson, PG – Chicago Bulls
• 1968
  • 2nd round, 19th pick – Ron Dunlap, PF – Chicago Bulls
• 1969
  • 4th round, 56th pick – Dave Scholz, F – Philadelphia Sixers
  • 15th round, 194th pick – Jodie Harrison, G – Washington Wizards
• 1970
  • 1st round, 17th pick – Mike Price, SG – New York Knicks
• 1971
  • 9th round, 152nd pick – Rick Howat, – – Milwaukee Bucks
• 1973
  • 1st round, 13th pick – Nick Weatherspoon, SF – Washington Wizards
  • 8th round, 131st pick – Jeff Dawson, G – Golden State Warriors
  • 10th round, 153rd pick – Nick Connor, FC – Buffalo Braves
• 1975
  • 6th round, 91st pick – Rich Schmidt, F – New Orleans Jazz
• 1976
  • 5th round, 69th pick – Nate Williams, G – Chicago Bulls
  • 10th round, 172nd pick – Otho Tucker, F – Boston Celtics
• 1978
  • 4th round, 86th pick – Rich Adams, PF – San Antonio Spurs
  • 6th round, 117th pick – Audie Matthews, G – Detroit Pistons
• 1980
  • 6th round, 117th pick – Neil Bresnahan, F – Golden State Warriors
• 1981
  • 2nd round, 29th pick – Eddie Johnson, SF – Kansas City Kings
  • 3rd round, 67th pick – Mark Smith, SF – Milwaukee Bucks
• 1982
  • 3rd round, 57th pick – Craig Tucker, PG – New York Knicks
  • 4th round, 80th pick – James Griffin, PF – New Jersey Nets
  • 7th round, 143rd pick – Perry Range, G – Kansas City Kings
  • 8th round, 181st pick – Bryan Leonard, F – Milwaukee Bucks
• 1983
  • 1st round, 11th pick – Derek Harper, PG – Dallas Mavericks
• 1985
  • 2nd round, 39th pick – George Montgomery, PF – Portland Trail Blazers
• 1986
  • 3rd round, 57th pick – Bruce Douglas, SG – Sacramento Kings
  • 3rd round, 62nd pick – Anthony Welch, F – Dallas Mavericks
  • 4th round, 74th pick – Scott Meents, FC – Chicago Bulls
  • 4th round, 88th pick – Efrem Winters, PF – Atlanta Hawks
• 1987
  • 1st round, 19th pick – Ken Norman, F – Los Angeles Clippers
  • 6th round, 125th pick – Doug Altenberger, G – Chicago Bulls
• 1989
  • 1st round, 11th pick – Nick Anderson, GF – Orlando Magic
  • 1st round, 27th pick – Kenny Battle, SF – Detroit Pistons (DET to PHX)

1990-2021; Unquestionably legendary names.

• 1990
  • 1st round, 5th pick – Kendall Gill, SG – Charlotte Hornets (1988)
  • 2nd round, 41st pick – Steve Bardo, SG – Atlanta Hawks
  • 2nd round, 42nd pick – Marcus Liberty, SF – Denver Nuggets
• 1994
  • 2nd round, 28th pick – Deon Thomas, F – Dallas Mavericks

• 2002
  • 1st round, 25th pick – Frankie Williams, G – Denver Nuggets (DEN to NYK)
  • 2nd round, 31st pick – Robert Archibald, PF – Memphis Grizzlies
• 2003
  • 1st round, 24th pick – Brian Cook, PF – Los Angeles Lakers
• 2005
  • 1st round, 3rd pick – Deron Williams, PG – Utah Jazz
  • 1st round, 24th pick – Luther Head, G – Houston Rockets
• 2006
  • 2nd round, 41st pick – James Augustine, FC – Orlando Magic
  • 2nd round, 46th pick – Dee Brown, G – Utah Jazz
• 2012
  • 1st round, 11th pick – Meyers Leonard, C – Portland Trail Blazers
• 2021
  • 2nd round, 38th pick – Ayo Dosunmu, PG – Chicago Bulls