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Welcome to “Good Morning, Illini Nation,” your daily dose of college basketball news from Illini beat writer and AP Top 25 voter Scott Richey. He’ll offer up insights every morning on Brad Underwood’s team and college basketball at large:
Flyin’ Illini great Kenny Battle is a semi-regular in Champaign — particularly on Illinois basketball game days. But the Illinois hall of famer will return to town in November for a basketball clinic.
Battle will team up with First String and the Parkland women’s basketball program for two days of basketball, Nov. 7-8, at Martens Center in Champaign. The first day will run from 6-8 p.m. for kindergarten through second grade campers. The second day will have a session for third and fourth graders from 10 a.m. to noon and a session for fifth and sixth graders from 1-3 p.m.
Registration for the clinic can be completed through the Champaign Park District. The cost runs from $19-$28.50 per session and includes a camp T-shirt, swag bag and a meal.
Battle was inducted into the Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame in 2023. The former Illini forward averaged 16.1 points and 5.2 rebounds during his two seasons in Champaign and helped lead Illinois to the 1989 Final Four.
Battle was the No. 27 overall pick in the first round of the 1989 NBA Draft and played four seasons in the NBA with Phoenix Suns, who acquired him from the Detroit Pistons in a draft-day trade, Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors. He also played in the CBA, Argentina and in the IBA before his retirement in 2000.