Former student Jim Durham was a 2011 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee.

He received the Curt Gowdy Media Award for his work as the voice behind the microphone. Durham went from calling ISU games for WJBC Radio to becoming the youngest announcer in professional basketball history when hired by the Chicago bulls at age 26. He held the job for 19 seasons before becoming the NBA voice of ESPN Radio. Having worked for NBC and CBS as well, he has called Major League Baseball and college games.

He has repeated as Illinois Sportscaster-of-the-Year, and won a Chicago Emmy twice.