University of Illinois Athletics

BASKETBALL • 1991-94

Deon Thomas finished his Illini career as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 2,129 points and blocked shots (177) while finishing second in rebounds (846) and shooting percentage (.601). A model of consistency, he earned second-team All-Big Ten honors three times from 1992-94 after being named third-team in 1991. Thomas was named to the Illinois All-Century Team in 2005. He was the Illini team MVP each of his final three seasons. Thomas was the first pick of the second round of the 1994 NBA Draft by Dallas before opting to start a highly successful 14-year international pro career in six different countries. He helped Maccabi Tel Aviv win the Israel championship, the Israeli Cup and the Euroleague championship twice as one of the most successful American pros of all time in the European leagues. Thomas currently lives with his wife, Dafna, in Naperville, Illinois, and serves as an analyst for the Big Ten Network and Fighting Illini Sports Network.