When the Godfather of college basketball, John Wooden, gets the Illinois bandwagon rolling at the John Wooden Tradition, it is a sign.

The Illini were on the verge of a special year.

Wooden loved Illinois’ unselfish play. Its great passing. Deft shooting and suffocating defense. Something similar to what Wooden’s UCLA teams did.

But did Wooden know in November that by March Illinois could go from special team to team of the ages?

If Illinois gets to St. Louis, Illinois’ unique style of basketball may have the Smilin’ Illini be the next It team. Like the 1989 Flyin’ Illini on campus, or the 1990 and 1991 UNLV teams around the country.

Why?

They play basketball like no one else.

“I do get a lot of calls. Coaches, people involved in basketball, they love our team,” Weber said. “They think it is good for college basketball. In the era of dunks and the spectacular plays we have kind of been a little bit old school. It has attracted a lot of attention.”

Old school in its values for Wooden. New school in its lineup for recruits. Both combine for success.

More and more teams are running three guard sets in college basketball. No team has three guards like Dee Brown, Luther Head and Deron Williams.

They are three of a kind. Teams that get remembered have things no one else does. Do you remember much about the 1989 Seton Hall team?

Nope. Nothing unique about them.

Illinois is similar to the Miami Hurricanes from the turn of the century on the football field.

Both are unique.

For Miami it was unmatched athletes. For Illinois, unmatched quickness.

Brown is the Flash when he moves down the court. Head’s first step with the ball can’t be stopped. Williams is quicker than Brown laterally.

Don’t believe me? Ask Weber.

Quickness is wrapped up in everything Illinois does.

From the post traps to the perimeter steals. From the cuts to the basket to the two-on-one fast breaks.

Even Illinois’ passes are quick. Brown with the ball. Boom. Williams has it at the top of the key. Boom. Head wide open in the corner for three. The defense never had a chance to adjust.

Too quick.

And it all starts with the guards.

The quickness doesn’t stop on the perimeter.

Illinois starting center James Augustine is athletic and quick. Or else Illinois defense wouldn’t be able to work. He is 6’11,” and he can guard slashers like Wisconsin’s Alando Tucker on the perimeter.

Teams can not simulate Illinois’ speed in practice. Teams’ starting five can’t even simulate Illinois’ quickness.

That’s why they could be a team to be remembered.

I say “could” because tournament success will decide how this team is remembered. As basketball icons in Illinois.

Or across the country.

Will the Smilin’ Illini be more like the Flyin’ Illini or the Running Rebels?

The last three-guard lineup to win the national title was Arizona in 1997. Lots of teams use it. Not a lot win big with it.

And not a lot of teams have a coach like Weber.

He knows his system – which Weber describes as mid-major basketball – works against anyone. Weber’s epiphany came in 2002 when his Southern Illinois team beat Georgia 77-75 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

“They hated chasing our guys,” Weber said. “We didn’t have quite the spectacular guards but we did similar things there.”

With spectacular guards, Weber’s motion offense becomes unstoppable. And opponents still hate chasing Weber’s guys around.

Illinois is full of unique traits.

Usually the team with unique traits wins it all. No one can stop them. That is why they are unique.

And that’s why they end up with the unique finish. Holding a trophy and taking a place in history.

Illinois, is it your turn?