BASKETBALL • 2003-06

Dee Brown, quite possibly the most popular Fighting Illini basketball player in history, was named the 2005 Sporting News National Player of the Year. Nicknamed “The One-Man Fastbreak,” he was a two-time consensus All-American, including first-team in 2005 and second-team in 2006. Brown was named the 2005 Big Ten Silver Basketball winner and 2005 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year after helping lead the Illini to a Big Ten title and appearance in the NCAA national championship game. Brown was a four-time All-Big Ten selection and finished third in voting for 2005 Wooden Award. In 2006, Brown was winner of the Bob Cousy Award as nation’s top point guard. Brown is the winningest player in Illinois history with 114 victories. Following his Illinois career, he played professionally for 10 years, including two years in the NBA.