Former Illini Dee Brown Hired As Assistant To Athletic Director

Former University of Illinois basketball standout Dee Brown is joining the staff of athletic director Mike Thomas for the summer as a special assistant.

Brown will join the department on July first and remain on staff until he returns to Europe for his final season of professional basketball this fall. 

Thomas says he hopes Brown will rejoin the athletic department in a yet to be determined role after his playing career is over. 

Brown’s duties in this temporary position will include representing the athletic department at a variety of campus and off-campus functions, outreach efforts, fundraising, and assisting with recruiting.

"Dee brings an enthusiasm for the Fighting Illini that is second to none," Thomas said, in a press release. "His experiences as a student-athlete on campus and in the community, his successful pro career, and now his returning to campus to give back to the Fighting Illini speaks volumes about the positive time that he had here."

Brown, a starting point guard in his playing days, was the 2005 Sporting News National Player of the Year and the winner of the 2006 Bob Cousy Award as the nation’s top point guard while at Illinois. 

The 2005 Illinois team advanced to the national championship game for the only time in school history.