June 24--Former Illinois basketball star Dee Brown will join the university's athletic staff for the summer as a special assistant to athletic director Mike Thomas.
Brown's duties are described like an ambassador for the program, assisting in recruiting in accordance to NCAA rules, building relationships with former Illini players and acting as a representative for the program at various fundraising functions.
Brown will begin the position on July 1 and work with the athletic department until he travels overseas to play his final season of professional basketball.
"Mike has a vision for Illinois athletics and a plan to realize it," Brown said in a statement released by the program. "I'm truly honored to be part of his vision and to begin working with him on several projects. My role is not just about me as a former basketball player. It's about giving back to the best school in the country that has given me so much as a student and as an athlete."
A Maywood, Ill., native, Brown played at Proviso East where he became Mr. Basketball in Illinois and was a McDonald's All-American. He was a star player at Illinois, helping lead the Illini to the Final Four.
"Dee will make our student-athletes and all of our teams and programs better on many fronts," Thomas said in a statement. "It's a great day for Illinois Athletics."
