Best Illinois basketball players: All-time Illini starting lineup

CHAMPAIGN, IL - JANUARY 05: Dee Brown #11 of the Illinois Fighting Illini brings the ball upcourt on his way to a career high 34 points against the Michigan State Spartans on January 5, 2006 in the Assembly Hall at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois. Illinois defeated Michigan State 60-50. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

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Guard Nick Anderson of the Illinois Fighting Illini /

As a freshman for Illinois basketball, Nick Anderson was an obvious star in the making. Playing 27.5 minutes per game, Anderson was highly productive as he put up 15.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.1 steals for the Fighting Illini. Despite his obvious talent, however, the 6-foot-6 guard elected to return for another year in Champaign and put the rest of the college basketball world on notice.

Though he was voted co-MVP of the 1987-88 team, Anderson was unquestionably the leader the following season. On the floor for 31.3 minutes per night, the versatile wing averaged 18.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.6 steals per night, all while shooting 53.8 percent from the field and hitting on over 36 percent of his attempts from 3-point range.

Perhaps just as important, Anderson was the engine of the Flyin’ Illini team that made the Final Four in 1989. Though that club lost in the national semifinal matchup against Michigan — the eventual champs — Anderson was the driving force that got the team even to that point.

Because he left after only two collegiate seasons, Anderson doesn’t rank highly on any career achievement lists for Illinois basketball. However, he does own the third-best single-season scoring mark in program history along with the ninth-best single-season rebounding mark, which is even more impressive considering his position.

Anderson did enough in just two seasons with the Fighting Illini to make this list, which makes you wonder what he could’ve done had he not made the jump to the NBA in 1989.