Gym manager and instructor Leo Hana, was put in charge of building the basketball program.

The first University of Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team, led by its playing captain Roy Riley, beat Champaign High School January 6, 1906, two weeks before Hana was able to replace Riley with a “professional” coach.

[1] Elwood Brown became Illinois’ first basketball coach January 20, 1906.

[2] In the first season of Illinois basketball the Illini went 6-8, 3-6 in the Big Ten.

This college basketball season article is a stub.