It's a phrase head coach Brad Underwood first embraced during his first Division-I head-coaching job at Stephen F. Austin. It has followed him around everywhere he has gone since then, and it will continue to be an integral part of the Illinois men's basketball program's success.
It is quite simple, yet it embodies everything Underwood wants in his players and coaches – past, present, and future – and reflects the grind and hard work the Fighting Illini put in day in, day out.
It is: Every Day Guys.
"I have heard multiple coaches, I have heard multiple teachers growing up, along the way, and in the coaching profession use it. I just said, 'It's going to be something that I make a priority,'" Underwood said. "One of the biggest things about our program and what we stand for and our culture is being an Every Day Guy. I've done that since the first day at SFA and kept it ever since."
Underwood emphasizes this phrase in all aspects of his student-athletes' lives, whether it's on the court, in the classroom, or at home. Being an Every Day Guy is about more than just being a good basketball player; it's about being a good teammate.
"Being an Every Day Guy is about being accountable and responsible every single day to do the job that you have to do, no matter what the circumstances are," Underwood said. "I think that goes beyond just the basketball court. That's life. We all have to be accountable. We have to do our job. Sometimes, we do not feel great. Sometimes, we are tired.
"Even if you had to stay up all night to do an English paper, for those two-and-a-half hours at practice that day, your teammates need you to be accountable and responsible. That, to me, is an Every Day Guy. We talk about it a lot, and I hope it is something everybody leaves this program remembering. If they did not learn anything else, I hope they learned to be an Every Day Guy."
The Illini have fully accepted the Every Day Guys philosophy and mindset, and all 15 of this year's student-athletes who will represent the Orange and Blue describe the team's culture in a slightly different way.
Let's meet Underwood's 2023-24 Every Day Guys as they explain what those three words mean to them.
Shannon Jr. enters his second season at Illinois after earning All-Big Ten honors last year. A unanimous preseason All-Big Ten honoree, Shannon averaged a team-high 17.2 points and tallied 4.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists in his debut campaign in Champaign.
"Being an Every Day Guy is about showing up every day, working hard, and being the best you can be," Shannon said. "No excuses. No taking days off. It's being the best version of you."
Harris frequently provided a spark of the bench in his freshman season, averaging 14.5 minutes, 3.7 points, and 0.8 steals while playing in all 33 games. One of eight returners, Harris looks to take on a bigger role heading into the 2023-24 campaign.
"An Every Day Guy means coming in and being the same person every day," Harris said. "It is playing hard and giving it your all. We talk about it every day. Everybody has to step up, and everybody has to be the best version of you."
Hailing from Lafayette, Ind., Gibbs-Lawhorn enters his first year with the Orange and Blue. Whether it is getting shots up before practice or putting in the extra 1% every day, Gibbs-Lawhorn has fully bought into the team's culture.
"To be an Every Day Guy, you have to be the type of guy who is consistent every day with how hard you work, the work you put in, and your love for the team," Gibbs-Lawhorn said. "If you can do that every day, especially in the Orange and Blue, then you're considered an Every Day Guy."
Domask joins the Fighting Illini after spending four seasons at Southern Illinois. A 36% career 3-point shooter, Domask was a three-time All-Missouri Valley honoree, recording 106 starts and averaging 15.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists over his four years in Carbondale.
"An Every Day Guy is somebody who takes every day as an opportunity to get better and doesn't waste any days," Domask said. "I try to get into a routine. I know what time I'm working out every morning before we do our workouts. I know what time I'm working out after. I know what recovery stuff I'm doing every day, so it's all about routine."
Spending the last two seasons at Utah Valley, Harmon begins his first campaign with the Orange and Blue. Harmon started 36 games and averaged 14.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists while guiding the Wolverines to the National Invitational Tournament semifinals during the 2022-23 season.
"Being an Every Day Guy is about trying to be the best version of you every day. You have to bring a winning mentality and try to be the best you every day," Harmon said. "I try to be a good teammate, be energetic, and when it's time to guard the best player, I'll try my best."
After moving from a student manager to a member of the roster in December, Redd begins his first full season at Illinois. Redd made two appearances last season, though he has yet to make an appearance at State Farm Center.
"An Every Day Guy is somebody who comes in each day, lives by the standards that we've developed in our program, gives the best version of themselves to their teammates or their coaches, and tries to be the best person they can each day," Redd said. "I come in, and I put in my best effort. I try to take each day the same. I have a strong mindset, and I try to make others around me better."
Following a productive freshman campaign, Goode missed a majority of the 2022-23 campaign with an injury. Averaging 2.5 points and 1.7 rebounds across 38 career games, Goode looks to take a big step this season as he enters his third year in Champaign.
"An Every Day Guy is somebody who comes into the gym every day and works hard regardless of what's going on off the court," Goode said. "On the court, it's somebody who's ready to compete every day."
Another midseason addition during the 2022-23 campaign, the Bologna, Italy, native did not make an appearance last year and thus enters his first full season with the Fighting Illini.
"The Every Day Guy mentality is about being consistent every day and doing what's best for the team every day. You have to pay attention to details and give 100% every day," Moretti said. "I'm just trying to try to do my best on the court, help my teammates, and do whatever Coach says."
Guerrier brings a wealth of experience to the Orange and Blue after spending two years at Syracuse and, most recently, two seasons at Oregon. After averaging 10.1 points and 6.8 rebounds with the Orange, Guerrier registered 9.7 points and 5.0 rebounds with the Ducks before joining the Illini this summer.
"For me, personally, I'm coming to the gym early in the morning before lift, before weights, or before practice. I'm getting some shots up, working on some areas where I'm probably going to get the ball the most during the season. I then come back in the afternoon and work out again, especially when I don't have class," Guerrier said. "I think being an Every Day Guy is really about putting yourself in a position to get into your best shape ever to compete every day in practice and make sure that you're learning as well."
Rodgers enters his second season at Illinois after putting together a strong freshman campaign last year. Playing in all 33 games, Rodgers tallied 3.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 0.7 steals in his debut season as he looks to take on a much bigger role as a sophomore.
"An Every Day Guy is somebody who shows up every day, is going to give it their all, and has bought into the team standards that we have," Rodgers said. "It's about leading by example, showing the new guys the work that we put in, giving 100% effort every time we're in the weight room, on the court, or with whatever we're doing. I think that shows, and that carries over to other guys."
Joining the team as a preferred walk-on, Kutcher spent two seasons at South Dakota, where he averaged 2.5 points and 0.6 rebounds across 25 appearances.
"No matter what's happening off the court, an Every Day Guy comes here every day and shows up every day. You do your best for the guys who you're playing with and for Illinois as a whole," Kutcher said. "Every day, I wake up with a fresh mentality, I see what the day can bring, and I put my best foot forward. I know that if I'm giving my best every day, then that's going to be good enough at the end."
Williams also heads to Illinois as a walk-on after competing at DePaul for the last three seasons. The Chicago native played in nine games during his time with the Blue Demons.
"An Every Day guy is someone who's able to show up every day and give their best effort," Williams said. "I try to be the best I can, every way I can for the team. Whatever the team asks of me, I try to do it to the best of my abilities. I try to be the best for my teammates and coaches. Being an Every Day guy has a lot to do with resiliency, perseverance, showing up every day, and getting the job done."
Deciding to return to the Illini after initially entering his name into the 2023 NBA Draft, Hawkins had his most productive season with the Orange and Blue as a junior last year. The California native averaged 9.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in 33 starts, all of which are career-best marks.
"It's about going out and giving your best every day," Hawkins said. "You can't just be a Sometimes Guy. You can't be a Here-and-There Guy. You have to be an Every Day Guy. It's someone who goes out, knowing he is going his hardest and trying to chase perfection."
Hansberry heads into his first college campaign after joining the Fighting Illini from Silver Spring, Maryland. Looking to make an immediate impact, Hansberry is excited to represent the Orange and Blue this season.
"Being an Every Day Guy is about coming in and being you every day," Hansberry said. "You have to put your best effort forward every day in practice. Be a leader. Just do what you do. You can get better, but you have to do what the team needs you to do to be a valuable piece on the path to winning."
After arriving in Champaign midway through the 2021-22 campaign, Dainja made his Illini debut last season. Averaging 9.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in 33 appearances and 21 starts, Dainja is eager to build on his production from one year ago.
"The Every Day Guy mindset is about the standards we set every day: coming in, being on time, being prepared," Dainja said. "It's about doing the things that we can control, especially with leadership. I feel like that's the biggest thing for us this year. We have a lot of older guys, and I feel like the thing that is going to separate us this year is our leadership."
