SR0194 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0194 LRB103 31882 LAW 60550 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate wish to congratulate Billy McKinney on the occasion of the retirement of his Northwestern University basketball jersey; and

WHEREAS, Northwestern University Athletics and Recreation and the men's basketball program announced that Billy McKinney's jersey would be retired during the 2023-24 basketball season at Welsh-Ryan Arena; and

WHEREAS, Billy McKinney scored 1,900 career points while playing for the Northwestern Wildcats, a school record that stood for 35 years, and led the team in scoring each season of his career; his total of 768 field goals still stands as the program's all-time record; he earned All-Big Ten recognition in all of his four seasons and garnered First Team All-Conference and All-America honors as a senior when he averaged 21.3 points per game; from 1975 tp 1977 under Head Coach Tex Winter, he was named the first three-time team MVP in program history; he also played for the Northwestern University baseball team; he earned his degree in education in 1977 and was inducted into the Northwestern University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1986; and

WHEREAS, From 1978 to 1985, Billy McKinney enjoyed an eight-year playing career in the NBA with the Kansas City Kings, the Utah Jazz, the Denver Nuggets, the San Diego Clippers, and the Chicago Bulls; he averaged 8.0 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game, eclipsing 3,800 career points and 1,600 career assists; he still holds the NBA rookie record for most field goals without a miss, converting 14 straight attempts in a 30-point outburst against the Boston Celtics; due to his quickness, he was nicknamed "The Crazed Hummingbird"; and

WHEREAS, Following his professional playing career, Billy McKinney served as an executive and scout for the NBA front offices for over 30 years, becoming the first African American front office executive in franchise history; while working as a Chicago Bulls scout, he was the only scout to watch Scottie Pippen play in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, guiding the team to trade for Pippen in 1987 and forming one of the NBA's greatest dynasties with Michael Jordan; and

WHEREAS, Billy McKinney became the first general manager of the expansion Minnesota Timberwolves in 1992; he later worked as the general manager for the Detroit Pistons and the WNBA's Seattle Storm; as the director of scouting for the Milwaukee Bucks, he was instrumental in drafting Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2013; and

WHEREAS, Since 2019, Billy McKinney has served as the Mayor of Zion, his hometown; he remains heavily involved with the Northwestern University men's basketball program, serving as the team's radio color analyst alongside Dave Eanet on WGN; and

WHEREAS, Billy McKinney will be the first student-athlete in school history to have their jersey retired; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Billy McKinney on the retirement of his basketball jersey at Northwestern University; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Billy McKinney as an expression of our esteem and respect.