Illinois AD Josh Whitman’s patience with Brad Underwood pays off in first Final Four berth since 2005
HOUSTON — Josh Whitman glanced at his phone for a moment Saturday night amid all of the hugging, celebrating and reflecting on Illinois’ 71-59 win over Iowa in the Elite Eight. The Illinois athletic director had 110 text messages in his inbox, everyone wanting to share their congratulations and excitement for the Illini’s first Final Four berth in 21 years. Whitman, an Illinois alum, understands what that wait has been like as much as anyone.
It has required patience and belief on his part and that of Illinois coach Brad Underwood, even as their tenure together didn’t immediately produce success. “He and I have been through an awful lot together,” Whitman said. “We’ve had a lot of special moments.
We’ve had a lot of hard moments. That’s the way these things work over a nine-year period of time. To see him reach this accomplishment and know we’ve been able to share this journey together was pretty powerful.
” Nine years ago, Whitman sat in Underwood’s living room in Stillwater, Okla. , and talked with the longtime coach about their vision for what could be possible again for Illinois basketball. The program, which had its most recent Final Four appearances in 1989 and 2005, had fallen on hard times, failing to make the NCAA Tournament for four straight seasons under coach John Groce.
Whitman said he saw in Underwood someone he could trust, who shared his values and had the right vision for the program. Underwood saw someone who could be a good partner, someone who could deliver on promises. So the partnership began.
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