CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (MWBD/WYZZ) — Bill Self said walking into State Farm center for the first tie in 20 years wasn’t very emotional.
But the conversation he had with some of his former Illini players certainly did draw some emotion. Especially the conversation e had with Peoria’s Frank Williams, a star on Self’s Illini teams in the late 90’s and early 2000’s.
“The one I was most excited to see was Frank,” Self said after Illinois beat his preseason No. 1 ranked Kansas Jayhawks, 82-75, in Champaign on Sunday. “Frank was a bad boy and the best thing that happened today was when Fran told me he got his degree. Now he has himself and his son, both college graduates from the University of Illinois. To me that’s cool.”
Williams’ son Da’Monte is a recent University of Illinois grad who was a player for current Illini coach Brad Underwood.
