Illini Basketball 2026-2027

[Illini in Italy]

If Illinois were to have celebrity courtside seats, who would be the five biggest non-athletes Illini fan stars to have a spot? I’m guessing they’d be:

1. Nick Offerman
2. Alan Ruck
3. Betsy Brandt
4. Ang Lee
5. Andy Richter

Top 5 Athlete stars

1. Deron Williams
2. Kendall Gill
3. Ayo
4. TSJ
5. Dee Brown

Non-Hollywood, non-athletes

1. Shad Khan
2. Larry Gies

Thoughts? Disputes?

1. Me

 

[Illiniguy13]

If Illinois were to have celebrity courtside seats, who would be the five biggest non-athletes Illini fan stars to have a spot? I’m guessing they’d be:

1. Nick Offerman
2. Alan Ruck
3. Betsy Brandt
4. Ang Lee
5. Andy Richter

Top 5 Athlete stars

1. Deron Williams
2. Kendall Gill
3. Ayo
4. TSJ
5. Dee Brown

Non-Hollywood, non-athletes

1. Shad Khan
2. Larry Gies

Thoughts? Disputes?

Buy stock in Will Riley, like, yesterday...I think he's going to be a superstar in 5 years.

 

[Emerson Bigguns]

If Illinois were to have celebrity courtside seats, who would be the five biggest non-athletes Illini fan stars to have a spot? I’m guessing they’d be:

1. Nick Offerman
2. Alan Ruck
3. Betsy Brandt
4. Ang Lee
5. Andy Richter

Top 5 Athlete stars

1. Deron Williams
2. Kendall Gill
3. Ayo
4. TSJ
5. Dee Brown

Non-Hollywood, non-athletes

1. Shad Khan
2. Larry Gies

Thoughts? Disputes?

Hugh Hefner would probably get some folks riled up...

Larry Ellison, 3rd richest guy in the world went to U of I for a couple years... (never did get a degree...from anywhere...)

Jerry Colangelo
Suzie Orman

Athletes:

Dick Butkus- I mean, c'mon...He's got a National award named after him...
Eddie Johnson (probably had the best NBA career of anyone not named Deron Williams, but his Illinois teams weren't great)
Derek Harper (same as Johnson. Odd stat: He and Eddie played exactly the same number of NBA games, 1199)
His Royal Frankness

I'd throw Luke Altmeyer in there as a crowd favorite right now...

 

[WyattEarp]

If Illinois were to have celebrity courtside seats, who would be the five biggest non-athletes Illini fan stars to have a spot? I’m guessing they’d be:

1. Nick Offerman
2. Alan Ruck
3. Betsy Brandt
4. Ang Lee
5. Andy Richter

Top 5 Athlete stars

1. Deron Williams
2. Kendall Gill
3. Ayo
4. TSJ
5. Dee Brown

Non-Hollywood, non-athletes

1. Shad Khan
2. Larry Gies

Thoughts? Disputes?

(if graduating isn’t a stipulation) Gene Hackman…then Offerman….

 

[Illiniguy13]

Hugh Hefner would probably get some folks riled up...

Larry Ellison, 3rd richest guy in the world went to U of I for a couple years... (never did get a degree...from anywhere...)

Jerry Colangelo
Suzie Orman

Athletes:

Dick Butkus- I mean, c'mon...He's got a National award named after him...
Eddie Johnson (probably had the best NBA career of anyone not named Deron Williams, but his Illinois teams weren't great)
Derek Harper (same as Johnson. Odd stat: He and Eddie played exactly the same number of NBA games, 1199)
His Royal Frankness

I'd throw Luke Altmeyer in there as a crowd favorite right now...

Didn't know we could include the deceased...

 

[hangdog]

Didn't know we could include the deceased...

Fictional AND deceased: Colonel Blake

 

[RabidDawgClassic]

Hugh Hefner would probably get some folks riled up...

Larry Ellison, 3rd richest guy in the world went to U of I for a couple years... (never did get a degree...from anywhere...)

Jerry Colangelo
Suzie Orman

Athletes:

Dick Butkus- I mean, c'mon...He's got a National award named after him...
Eddie Johnson (probably had the best NBA career of anyone not named Deron Williams, but his Illinois teams weren't great)
Derek Harper (same as Johnson. Odd stat: He and Eddie played exactly the same number of NBA games, 1199)
His Royal Frankness

I'd throw Luke Altmeyer in there as a crowd favorite right now...

(if graduating isn’t a stipulation) Gene Hackman…then Offerman….

I guess I should’ve stipulated we don’t want corpses on the sideline.

 

[RabidDawgClassic]

Fictional AND deceased: Colonel Blake

Fictional and alive would include Cam from Modern Family.

 

[wc_illini]

For what it's worth, with the dust settling on the NBA draft and transfer portal etc., The Illini have settled in at number three in Kalshi over the past week.

View attachment 50570

It's strange that Kalshi odds have deviated so much from traditional books (all of which according to VegasInsider have us #5 except one where we're T-#4 w/ UConn). The biggest difference is Michigan, which is still a clear #3 at all the books.

 

[Guest]

Bill Murray

 

[bobmILLINI34]

It's strange that Kalshi odds have deviated so much from traditional books (all of which according to VegasInsider have us #5 except one where we're T-#4 w/ UConn). The biggest difference is Michigan, which is still a clear #3 at all the books.

Very good point. Arbitrage opportunity?

 

[Trueblue777]

Tom Hanks would probably oblige since his brother is a professor here and he’s been spotted at Jarling’s just a stone throw away from the State Farm Center

 

[ChiTown]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2065578706425303261

 

[wc_illini]

Very good point. Arbitrage opportunity?

I think it works out to a guaranteed ~2% on Illinois, but you could also get more than that in a bank for 10 months. I don't think there's a way to directly bet against Michigan at the books, but theoretically that would be the more attractive arbitrage since Kalshi gives them ~7-8% instead of 10.5-12.5%.

 

[InDaAZ]

If Illinois were to have celebrity courtside seats, who would be the five biggest non-athletes Illini fan stars to have a spot? I’m guessing they’d be:

1. Nick Offerman
2. Alan Ruck
3. Betsy Brandt
4. Ang Lee
5. Andy Richter

Top 5 Athlete stars

1. Deron Williams
2. Kendall Gill
3. Ayo
4. TSJ
5. Dee Brown

Non-Hollywood, non-athletes

1. Shad Khan
2. Larry Gies

Thoughts? Disputes?

Dis guy:

 

[Fly Illini Fly!]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2065578706425303261

Morillo with some big shoes to fill.

 

[21ChampaignSt]

I'll do my best @pruman91 impression and say Taylor Rooks and HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

 

[RollChief]

Morillo with some big shoes to fill.

I was thinking the same thing about Coleman!

 

[Fly Illini Fly!]

EXTENDED highlight reel of Vaaks if anyone’s interested:

 

[Fly Illini Fly!]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2065227542513033629

 

[Rebounding Dog]

EXTENDED highlight reel of Vaaks if anyone’s interested:

Thanks for sharing this! I have watched some film on this guy but this reel shows more than knocking down NBA 3’s! 3 level scorer! Sees the floor… man I can’t wait until the season starts. Vaaks looks like a first round pick next year! Great fit for us… great fit for him!

 

[IlliniWu]

Seeing Vaak's highlights, he seems pretty quick and athletic enough, and he's a bucket. The Illini offense this year was pretty good. With shooters and bucket getters like Coleman and Vaaks coming in, Stojakovic maybe a potential B1G POY candidate (Calling that), I'm thinking this team will be even better on offense.

Coleman, Vaaks and Stojakovic are all potential 1st rounders. A ton of talent on this team.

 

[Fly Illini Fly!]

Seeing Vaak's highlights, he seems pretty quick and athletic enough, and he's a bucket. The Illini offense this year was pretty good. With shooters and bucket getters like Coleman and Vaaks coming in, Stojakovic maybe a potential B1G POY candidate (Calling that), I'm thinking this team will be even better on offense.

Coleman, Vaaks and Stojakovic are all potential 1st rounders. A ton of talent on this team.

I think Andrej will end up a top 2 player in the league. Whether he is that preseason, IDK.

That 3pt shot can only get better…

 

[Brosky]

1. Me

View attachment 50571

Mannie Jackson
Roger Ebert

 

[pweo]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2065578706425303261

Sweet, now we can start printing next years Final Four shirts