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Deon talks openly about growing up on the west side of Chicago in “The Village” and how his Mother and Grandparents shaped him to who he is. We discuss who first recruited him to play basketball, how winning the Chicago Public League Title is a huge ordeal, along with what Coach Bob Hambric meant to him and how he developed Deon. 

Who helped him make his college decision once he narrowed it to five schools? After going thru the records, he currently holds in U of Illinois Men’s Basketball History, we talk about the art of shot blocking and why he choose to play professionally in Europe over the NBA. 

We discuss going from a player to be a coach and how that all came about at a Starbucks of all places, the time it takes away from your family and how his life has come full circle. 

Links:

Article on Joining the I Team: https://fightingillini.com/news/2019/7/24/general-all-time-leading-scorer-deon-thomas-joins-fighting-illini-development-team.aspx

Chicago Simeon Academy Wikipedia (Scroll to bottom for list of players): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simeon_Career_Academy

Deon Thomas Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deon_Thomas

Deon on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deon-thomas-844377a/

Buzzaprout- Tell them I sent you for a $20 Amazon Gift Card! https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=766057

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Extra 5:

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Deon talks about his 30 years records being broke one day

Having two of his freshman records broken

The buzz that Shaq was looking at attending the U of Illinois

His outlook on the future of The Fighting Illini under Coach Underwood

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