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Runner-ups: Isiah Thomas, George Mikan, Anthony Davis, Derrick Rose
Unlike the prior two states on this list, Illinois – and particularly Chicago – does have a proud history of producing top-level basketball players, making this selection a difficult one.
In the end, though, we had to go with Dwyane Wade as the best basketball player to come out of Illinois over a tough group of current and future Hall-of-Famers.
Wade was born in Chicago, Illinois, and endured a tough upbringing, including growing up with a mother who had difficulties with drug usage (JoLinda Wade has now been clean since 2003) and having to avoid the temptations of gang life himself.
He attended Harold L. Richards High School in Oak Lawn, where he became a star basketball player, though difficulties with schooling and disqualifying test scores made it so that Wade only had three offers out of high school – Marquette, Illinois State and DePaul. Of course, Wade would choose Marquette, eventually leading the Golden Eagles to the Final Four in 2003, an outstanding run of play that led to the electric shooting guard being selected fifth overall by the Miami Heat in the following draft.
Wade would then go on to establish himself as one of the three or four greatest 2-guards of all time, winning three NBA championships with Miami, one Finals MVP, making 13 All-Star appearances and having two 1st Team All-NBA, three 2nd Team All-NBA and three 3rd Team All-NBAs under his belt.
Isiah Thomas did make this a very difficult decision. One of the best point guards ever, Thomas likewise came out of Illinois and won two NBA titles himself as a member of the Pistons, one Finals MVP, was an NCAA champion with Indiana, winning Final Four Most Outstanding Player for his efforts, and made three 1st Team All-NBAs and two 2nd Team All-NBAs to go with 12 All-Star appearances.
But by the thinnest of margins, we still went with Wade as the best player to come out of Illinois.
Sorry, Isiah. Anything to say?
