University of Illinois Athletics

Nick Weatherspoon earned All-America honors in 1973 after becoming the Illini’s all-time leading scorer with 1,481 points. A two-time team MVP, he was named to the Illini All-Century Team in 2005. “Spoon” was a First-Team All-Big Ten pick in 1973 after being named Honorable Mention in 1972. Weatherspoon owns the school record for career scoring average of 20.9 points per game and for career rebounding average of 11.3 boards per game, averaging a double-double during his junior and senior seasons. A native of Canton, Ohio, “Spoon” was a First-Round NBA Draft pick in 1973 and played seven years in the League with the Washington Bullets, the Seattle SuperSonics, the Chicago Bulls, and the San Diego Clippers. He made the NBA All-Rookie Team in 1974. Weatherspoon died in 2008 at the age of 58.