Illinois State University has a proud basketball history that has successfully developed talented players who advanced to professional careers in the National Basketball Association. Among the most notable historical and modern professional alumni are standout guard and long-time NBA player and coach Doug Collins (who earned multiple All-Star selections and was the number-one overall draft pick), sharp-shooting forward Antonio Reeves, physical center Jeff Wilkins, and high-flying guard Robert Hawkins, all of whom carried the Redbird legacy onto professional hardwood courts.