Dain Dainja, Luke Goode and More: Best 2024-25 Seasons From Former Illini

Which former Illinois players had the best seasons in another college program's uniform this past season?

Dec 2, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Luke Goode (10) celebrates with guard Justin Harmon (4) and forward Dain Dainja (42) during a time out during the first half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Jersey Mike's Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

In this moment of prolific player movement around college basketball, the passionate and generally well-meaning members of Illini Nation may find themselves a bit triggered by recent events.

Departures are sometimes conflated as defections, as if athletes pledge a blood oath to a school when they sign on the dotted line. It's silly, frankly, and more than a bit hypocritical: Nearly all of Illinois' roster this past season was made up of either first-year players or transfers – players who left other schools.

So rather than give in to the dark side, why not embrace former Illini as, if not brothers, then at least fondly remembered long-lost cousins? So Illinois on SI decided to catch up with the clan and celebrate the best 2024-25 seasons among former Illini players – even if they happened in some other school's uniform.

First, the honorable mentions:

Andre Curbelo, Southern Miss: 9.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.9 steals
Luke Goode: 9.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.9 threes, 39.2 3PT percentage
Sencire Harris, West Virginia: 5.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.7 blocks
RJ Melendez, Mississippi State: 8.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.0 threes, 0.9 steals, 0.6 blocks
Adam Miller, Arizona State: 9.8 points, 1.9 assists, 1.4 threes, 39.7 3PT percentage
Niccolo Moretti, Florida Atlantic: 6.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists

5. Amani Hansberry, West Virginia

Stats: 9.8 points, 6.5 rebounds (2.2 offensive rebounds), 1.4 assists, 1.1 threes
Finish: 19-13 (10-10, seventh in Big 12)

Hansberry came into his own as a sophomore and led the Mountaineers to what should have been an NCAA Tournament appearance (pay no attention to the North Carolina rep on the selection committee behind the curtain!). If Hansberry can steady his shooting stroke in the offseason (29.2 percent on threes), he could break out as an all-Big 12 player next season.

4. Jayden Epps, Georgetown

Stats: 12.8 points, 2.3 assists, 1.4 steals, 2.0 threes, 34.4 3PT percentage
Finish: 18-15 (8-12, seventh in Big East)

Georgetown only made noise around Champaign this past season for coach Ed Cooley's moment of doofusness, but Epps deserves a better tribute for his 2024-25 as a former Illini. He became a far more efficient three-point shooter, passer and ball-handler as a junior, and he could be in line for a strong senior campaign – especially if he can lead the Hoyas over the hump and back to the NCAAs.

3. Skyy Clark, UCLA

Stats: 8.5 points, 2.7 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.1 turnovers, 1.4 threes, 39.7 3PT percentage
Finish: 23-11 (13-7, fourth in Big Ten); lost in NCAAs second round to No. 2-seeded Tennessee

Clark, who transferred from Louisville last offseason after playing his freshman year at Illinois, learned that less is sometimes more at UCLA, curbing his shot attempts to focus on more discerning shot selection, facilitating the offense and bringing out his inner dog on D. His numbers don't pop like those of some others who finished lower on this list, but he was a key factor on a Bruins club that made the deepest NCAA Tournament run of any former Illini this season.

2. Coleman Hawkins, Kansas State

Stats: 10.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.8 steals, 1.3 blocks
Finish: 16-17 (9-11, ninth in Big 12)

The Hawk had his share of struggles during a senior year that surely didn't unfold as he envisioned, but his individual production matched or rivaled any single season he delivered in Champaign while making him one of the most impactful two-way players in college basketball.

Hawkins' sketchy shooting numbers and game-to-game inconsistency frustrated Wildcats fans, but the 6-foot-10 do-everything forward saved Kansas State from a truly disastrous season. With his skills, Hawkins may be poised for a pro career as a sort of stretched-out Draymond Green.

1. Dain Dainja, Memphis

Stats: 14.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, 1.7 assists, 0.9 steals, 61.5 FG percentage
Finish: 29-6 (16-2, first in AAC); lost in NCAAs first round to No. 12-seeded Colorado State

Dainja never quite put it all together in Champaign, but his defenders would argue that he never quite got a chance. As a Memphis senior, he thrived – especially in the postseason, when the Tigers finally gave in and began living their best lives in the Dainja Zone.

Dainja – the player whose fitness was the central narrative around him as a player for a long spell in Champaign – put up a 20-10 in each of Memphis' final three games, including the American Athletic Conference Tournament clincher, while sitting just a single minute over the stretch. What a finish to a delightfully fun college basketball career.

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