Valparaiso University head men’s basketball coach Roger Powell Jr. received a high honor on Saturday evening as he was enshrined into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA) Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2024.

The banquet took place on Saturday evening at Illinois State University in Normal, Ill., a fitting location for the enshrinement as that campus provided Powell with some of his earliest basketball memories. His father Roger Powell Sr. was a standout for the Redbirds from 1973-76 and is a member of the Illinois State Athletics Hall of Fame.

Before beginning his coaching journey, Powell enjoyed an accomplished playing career. The Joliet West High School product and Joliet, Ill. native was a three-year starter at the University of Illinois, earning Honorable Mention All-Big Ten recognition in each of his final two seasons after being named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team as a sophomore. He helped the Illini to three Big Ten regular-season titles, two Big Ten Tournament crowns and three Sweet Sixteen berths. During his senior year in 2004-05, Powell was part of an Illini team that finished 37-2, won 29 straight to open the season and reached the national title game.

Powell accumulated 1,178 points and 531 rebounds during his four-year career at Illinois. He finished his career ranked among the top 30 scorers in program history. Following his collegiate tenure, Powell began a professional career that included a stint in the NBA with the Utah Jazz during the 2006-2007 season. He also played for the Rockford Lightning (CBA, 2005-06), Arkansas Rimrockers (2006-07, D-League), Siviglia Wear Teramo (Italy, 2007-08), Murcia (Spain, 2009-10), JDA Dijon (France, 2010) and Skyliners Frankfurt (Germany, 2010-11).

“This is an awesome honor for someone who grew up in Illinois with all of the great basketball tradition in the state,” Powell said. “My dad has a great heritage of basketball in Illinois and I’ve recruited a ton of players from the state over the years in my career at Valpo, Vanderbilt and Gonzaga. It’s extra special to receive this honor in a state that is home to me.”

Other inductees in this year’s class included Bradley head coach Brian Wardle, Powell’s AAU coach Larry Butler and Mike Taylor, the father of Valpo men’s basketball staff member Sean Taylor and the 20-year head coach at Marian Catholic, where he won 357 games, nine regional titles, three sectional championships and five conference crowns.