Illinois State men’s basketball legend Doug Collins ’73 was named a first-time finalist for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, going straight to the “direct elect” part of the ballot.
Collins, whom the court is named after at Redbird Arena, is ISU’s all-time leading scorer at 29.1 points per game and 2,240 career points. He did all of this in just three seasons from 1970 to 1973 while being named both an All-American and Academic All-American. Freshmen were not eligible to play varsity basketball during his era.
The Athletics Percy Family Hall of Fame inductee played on the 1972 U.S. Olympic team prior to his senior season at ISU. He became the only No. 1 overall pick in school history as the Philadelphia 76ers selected him with the top choice in the 1973 NBA draft. Collins became a four-time All-Star before transitioning to a career as a coach and broadcaster. He was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.
