I feel bad for anyone didn’t attend the Night of Legends alumni basketball game at Assembly Hall on Saturday evening. I feel even worse for the people who plan on attending actual games in November. But that can change (see end of column).

I’ve been to my fair share of sporting events, but this was by far the greatest collection of athletes I’ve seen at one time. Period. While the game was played as more of an All-Star showcase, the sheer talent on the floor at any given time made me miss top-notch basketball.

The 15,417 fans in attendance got glimpses of the greatest Illini basketball players of all time: members of the 1989 “Flying Illini,” the Elite Eight team in 2001, and, of course, our beloved boys from 2005 who finished 37-2.

I got chills when I heard the beating drums and the starting lineups announced – the same kind of chills I got when Deron Williams hit “the shot.”

Fans possess the ability to inherently establish a connection to the former greats. My ear drums nearly exploded at the introductions for Dee Brown, Deron Williams (“USA! USA! USA!”) and Nick Anderson. The ceremony made me miss good basketball, especially after witnessing 19 losses last season.

But there seemed to be a common theme among past Illini, as well as Coach Weber; we need to continue the tradition of Illini basketball.

Frank Williams (come on, you remember Frankie time) couldn’t wipe the smile off his face when I asked him to reminisce about his game-winning layup at Minnesota in 2002, which was one of the highlights shown on the big screen during a timeout.

“It brought back memories, major memories,” Williams said. “It’s something that I haven’t gotten out of my head yet, just being a part of that, being a part of the tradition and the history. And that shot, actually have must been one of the top shots of my career and I’m just proud of it.”

Pride. That’s another feeling that needs to be restored among the Fighting Illini faithful. If you have undying pride for a program, you become more than just a part of it.

Saturday night’s event was definitely a large step in the right direction. For crying out loud, it made me want to see even more Illini basketball.

Thirty banners now hang in Assembly Hall that honor the greatest Illini to ever handle the rock. Yeah, that ceremony gave me chills too.

“Having the great players that have played here and having their numbers up in the rafters, I think that’s a big start at re-establishing the legacy of Illini basketball,” former Illini and NBA player Kendall Gill said after leading the White team with 14 points.

Gill’s right. The history of the program slapped me in the face Saturday night. I hope it did the same for the current squad, who was also in attendance for the festivities.

I was a senior in high school the year Illinois lost to North Carolina in the NCAA Championship. One of the reasons I wanted to come to this school was because of the basketball team. Lucky for me, Deron Williams, Dee Brown, Luther Head and Roger Powell were eager to put on a final show on the same court that made them Illini legends. And they had fun doing it too.

“It was fun, a dream come true just to be able to get back on the court with these guys one more time and play with guys that you love,” Head said.

Williams and Head looked like they were almost having too much fun, as they teamed up on a series of alley-oops throughout the night.

“I told Deron I wanted to show my hops again,” Head said.

So, after the fun was over, and after listening to successful alumni, I took everything in and came up with a short list of crucial ingredients for restoring pride in Illini basketball.

1. Fun. They have to smile and laugh with each other. Everyone in Saturday night’s game looked like a kid again.

2. Camaraderie. The guys need to know teammate tendencies.

3. Trust. Without it, you’re all by yourself.

4. Talent. Let’s be real, every team needs some.

5. Learn. Soak up every tidbit of advice from the former greats. They’re great for a reason.

6. Become a legend. Don’t settle for second-best.

I know, it’s all easier said than done. But hopefully A Night of Legends restored pride in this year’s team.

Ryan Dixon is a senior in Media. He can be reached at [email protected].