The long-awaited Illinois renaissance is here. Embrace it.

This piece is dedicated to Illinois alumni. If you have ever called the University of Illinois home, I am writing this to let you know that I hear you. This run to the Final Four was amazing.

Many of us didn’t experience these heights as students. Some, like our fearless leader Stephen Cohn, had to endure the time when big man recruiting wasn’t Kofi Cockburn, but Spicy G and the guy everyone loved to call “Muh-Teets. ” The state of Illinois has traditionally been the best high school talent pipeline in the country.

“Just get the top players from Peoria and Chicago, and you’ll be fine” was a common refrain for much of my life. All of us who went to Illinois have those memories. There’s that one player with whom you always identify.

For me, it was Sergio McClain. Big Serge and I sat next to each other during sessions of our OMSA Student Orientation. It was surreal for me, since just six months prior, I was in the crowd at Carver Arena watching Manual win a state title against Chicago area stalwarts like Whitney Young and Thornton.