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Just as every dribble moves us toward victory, every donation to the Basketball Museum of Illinois helps us score big in the community. Your monthly contributions are not only financial support, they are a testament to your commitment to preserving the rich history of basketball in Illinois.
In the game of conserving our heritage, you are the MVP.
Be a part of the team that changes and saves lives—whether it’s teaching teamwork and leadership skills in our youth clinics, hosting educational and historical exhibits, or honoring legends of the greatest game in history. Join the winning team now by choosing a membership level below.
Choose Your Level of Support
Full-Court Supporters
$23/month
Hoop Heroes Club
$18/month
Tip-Off Team
$12/month
Courtside Contributors
$7/month
Featured in the Chicago Sun-Times
These stories need to be told as much to preserve the history of Illinois as to preserve the history of basketball.
Our mission is to honor Illinois basketball history, celebrate current achievements, and motivate future generations.
Visit our virtual museum
Our GOAL
As expansive and diverse as the state itself, the unique passion of Illinois basketball continues to excite, inspire and impact throughout the past, present and future.
It was always a dream of legendary Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Executive Director, Chuck Rolinski, that his organization would have a permanent home for our renowned IBCA Hall of Fame. The Basketball Museum of Illinois will become that home that Coach Rolinski dreamed of for so long!
Our Vision
Fifty years ago, the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association was created to help the coaches in our state and to make the game of basketball better in Illinois.
The IBCA has always had a vision to build a basketball museum that would be a comprehensive facility dedicated to recognizing the rich traditions and history of basketball in Illinois.
From the junior high level to our professional teams, we highlight the great stories, teams, coaches, players, officials, media and “friends of basketball” in Illinois.
The Basketball Museum of Illinois is an extension of the IBCA and our goals are to showcase our great basketball history (especially our Hall of Fame), celebrate current achievements and to passionately serve our coaches, players and fans.
The Basketball Experience
Hall Of Fame Experience
The Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame was founded in 1973 to honor the best and most influential players, teams, coaches, media, officials, and friends of basketball in Illinois history. Since then, a new Hall of Fame class has been inducted every year.
Boys State Tournament
The Illinois High School Boys Basketball Tournamnet is a single elimination tournament held each year in March at the State Farm Center on the campus of the University of Illinois in Champaign. The tournament was founded in 1908 and continues today. The term March Madness was used by the high school tournament in 1939, long before the NCAA adopted it.
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“The basketball stories of Illinois give a history of the people of Illinois. Major societal strides are reflected in the actions of basketball players, coaches, fans, and administrators as pertaining to Civil Rights and Title IX legislation. These stories need to be told as much to preserve the history of Illinois as to preserve the history of basketball.” – Mark Kleemann
History
Illinois has a rich and storied history of basketball from the grade school levels all the way to the professional ranks. One of our major goals is to honor and preserve the great history of Illinois basketball through our digital archive and physical location at The Wintrust Sports Complex at Bedford Park.
Girls State Tournament
The Illinois High School Girls Basketball Tournamnet is organized the same way as the boys tournament but two weeks earlier. First state girls basketball tournament held at Horton Fieldhouse at Illinois State University in Bloomington-Normal. The game is now hosted at Redbird Arena on the same campus.
Next Level Basketball
Illinois is home to NBA and WNBA championship teams, 45 mens college teams and 44 womens college teams. Illinois consistently ranks in the top 3 states for most Prep to NBA players. Illinois is next-level basketball!
