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Saint Ignatius basketball star, Northwestern recruit Phoenix Gill is hardly in dad Kendall's shadow

Saint Ignatius basketball star Phoenix Gill follows in some of famous dad's footsteps
Saint Ignatius basketball star Phoenix Gill follows in some of famous dad's footsteps 04:16

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Saint Ignatius College Prep senior Phoenix Gill is not only one of the top high school basketball players in Illinois, but is also emerging from the rather large shadow of his dad.

The Northwestern recruit's dad is none other than Flyin' Illini legend, longtime NBA player, and current Chicago Bulls analyst Kendall Gill.

From the No. 13 he proudly wears to their uncanny resemblance, Phoenix Gill is constantly compared to his famous father — who was also an all-state prep player at south suburban Rich Central before becoming an All-American at Illinois and a top-five pick in the 1990 NBA Draft and starring for 15 seasons in the League.

Thanks to YouTube, Phoenix got a glimpse of what he's up against.

"I didn't really think he was all that at first, but then when I saw a couple of his dunks, that's when it all clicked that he was really good," Phoenix Gill said of his father. "He's taught me a lot to succeed. And he's really—he's been pushing me all along my journey."

Does Kendall Gill think he's pushed his son too hard?

"Yeah, I mean, I know I've pushed him too hard," Kendall Gill said. "I mean, I have to pull back even now. To this day, you know, I'm going over videotape 24-7, saying, 'This is what you should do.'"

"I constantly have to remind Kendall, look, he's not you," said Phoenix's mother, Wendy Gill. "Actually, he might be better than you."

Phoenix himself even said he could handle the ball a little and shoot better than his dad.

"I can't beat him no more," said Kendall Gill. "No, he's too fast for me now."

Pops Gill got knocked down a few pegs when Phoenix finally beat the former pro one-on-one a few years back.

"I did a between-the-legs, shot it, turned around before it even went in, and I have the video too — so it's proof. I won that game," said Phoenix Gill. " I'll never forget that moment."

"I remember coming home and telling Wendy, "It's over!" said Kendall Gill.

Phoenix has confidently embraced the pressure that comes with being the lineage of basketball royalty. His stellar career at Saint Ignatius includes a pair of historic trips downstate for the Wolfpack.

"He's a tremendous leader. He's got a positive spirit," said Saint Ignatius basketball coach Matt Monroe. "He's a team-first guy, and he's always setting the tone with how hard he works every day and all the extra time he puts into it."

"I don't feel any pressure anymore," said Phoenix. "I mean obviously, committing to Northwestern took a huge toll off of it."

Despite dreaming of following in Dad's footsteps in Champaign, the future Wildcat decided to forge his own path and play for Chris Collins at rival Northwestern. Illini Nation will have to get used to seeing a program legend wearing purple in the stands.

"I still bleed orange and blue, but listen, I'm with my son 100%," said Kendall Gill. "Very proud of him because he wanted to blaze his own trail."

Added Phoenix: "I want to be out of that shadow. I don't want to be known as Kendall Gill's son."

In fact, he said, Kendall Gill will someday likely be known as Phoenix Gill's dad.

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