One of the top players in the transfer portal, former Illinois big man Coleman Hawkins, announced Friday that he’s committed to Kansas State.
After four seasons with the Fighting Illini, Hawkins initially put his name in for the NBA draft. Without a draft assurance, he opted to withdraw from the draft and enter the transfer portal on April 30 for his fifth and final year of NCAA eligibility.
And he reportedly will be well-compensated. The Athletic said Friday that Hawkins will receive $2 million “in what’s believed to be the most lucrative college basketball NIL deal negotiated from a collective.”
The 6-foot-10 Hawkins is one more offseason addition to coach Jerome Tang’s Wildcats, who lost 10 scholarship players from last year’s team and have rebuilt through the transfer portal.
Kansas State also added guard Dug McDaniel from Michigan, forward Achor Achor from Samford, combo guard Max Jones from Cal State Fullerton – all of whom average 15 points per game or above.
They also added big man Ugonna Onyenso who went from being a Kentucky Wildcat to a Kansas State Wildcat, as well as former Villanova guard Brendan Hausen, former Arkansas center Baye Fall, and former UIC guard C.J. Jones. Forward Davis N’Guessan, who started 21 games last season and averaged 7.8 points per game, is the only returning starter for Kansas State.
Hawkins scored a career-high 12.1 points per game while adding 6.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.5 blocks over 35 games (all starts) in 2023-24. He shot a career-best 36.9 percent from 3-point range and was named an All-Big Ten honorable mention.
In 126 games (82 starts) for Illinois over four seasons, Hawkins contributed 7.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.
–Field Level Media