Following his decision to withdraw from consideration for the NBA Draft, former Illinois forward Coleman Hawkins shot to the top of the NCAA Basketball transfer portal’s available players list. After recording career-highs of 12.1 points and 6.1 rebounds in the previous season, he was named to the All-Big Ten team.
The adaptable big guy was immediately connected to several teams, including Louisville and Arkansas, and he was even scheduled for a visit with the Cardinals. However, a couple of other teams surfaced with documented formal trips after purportedly canceling with them. Which of the three teams in the mix makes the most sense, at least for the time being? Here is a summary of Hawkins’ fit with them, including benefits and disadvantages.
The Wildcats of Kansas State
After losing out on many recruiting fights, Kansas State’s frontcourt appeared to be in poor shape not too long ago. They recently made up for it by acquiring Ugonna Onyenso, a former big man from Kentucky, and forward transfer Achor Achor. If Coleman were to arrive, Achor could play some at the three-spot and he and Onyenso would make a fantastic interior defensive duo. Although the Big 12 is difficult, the addition of Hawkins would elevate the Wildcats to a legitimate threat in the middle of the conference and put them in the running for the NCAA Tournament.
Tigers from LSU
Coach Matt McMahon and the Tigers are under some pressure to perform well in the SEC, which is why they are now considered contenders for Hawkins. They made good additions to the backcourt in the form of Jordan Sears and Cam Carter, but the absence of Will Baker in the frontcourt leaves them lacking in scoring punch. JUCO movement Although Derek Fountain will be back for an additional season and Noah Boyed will play center, Hawkins appears to be the frontcourt’s main focus point. Would he, however, be adequate to put them back in the running for the postseason?
Mustangs from SMU
Although SMU is still a dark horse, they will need players like Hawkins to contend now that they are in the ACC. A few frontcourt players, including Yohan Traore (UC Santa Barbara), Matt Cross (UMass), and Tibet Gorener (San Jose State), have been recruited by new coach Andy Enfield through the portal. However, there are worries regarding the group’s perspective on the power conference level outside of Cross.
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Getting someone like Hawkins would give the program a significant boost in momentum. However, because Cross is on the roster, he would have to play more at the five-spot than the other two alternatives. Moreover, SMU has the toughest schedule to go to the postseason, even though Hawkins might be the team’s top player. On paper, Kansas State appears to have the greatest chance of the three teams.
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