Good Morning, Illini Nation: Another 2004-05 star in the HOF
May 11—The inaugural class for the Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame included a pair of star basketball players from the 2004-05 Final Four team. Dee Brown and Deron Williams inducted in that first group in 2017? That made plenty of sense.
Brown and Williams will be joined by one of their teammates in the hall of fame when James Augustine is inducted in September, along with seven other former Illini standouts, in the 10th hall of fame class. "I was surprised," Augustine said on a recent SportsTalk appearance. "Josh Whitman called me a month or two ago and told me the news.
I was honored. I was excited to hear the news. You have Ayo (Dosunmu) and six other members going in that are great.
It's an honor for me, especially to go in with so many legends and the student-athletes that have gone through the program. I'm excited about it. " Augustine averaged 10.
1 points and 7. 5 rebounds in his four-year stay in Champaign before moving on to a lengthy professional career that included time in the NBA before he established himself in Europe and as a EuroLeague star for multiple teams. The 6-foot-10 forward is still Illinois' all-time leading rebounder.