Former Illini Coleman Hawkins has committed to Kansas State after withdrawing from the NBA Draft, he announced on Instagram Friday morning.
The 6-foot-10 forward stated two weeks ago that he would be returning to college for a graduate year, but he would transfer to a new program and not come back to Illinois. Hawkins had originally planned to visit Louisville, however, he canceled that visit and instead visited Kansas State. He also had an upcoming visit scheduled to LSU on June 17, but it was reported that he canceled that as well, only an hour before he announced his commitment to Kansas State.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Hawkins has agreed to an NIL deal in the neighborhood of $2 million to play at Kansas State. It is the most lucrative NIL deal in college basketball negotiated by a collective, orchestrated by Aaron Turner of Verus Basketball and Nate Conley of Court XIV.
Hawkins is now the eighth player signed by Kansas State via the transfer portal this offseason, including 7-foot Kentucky transfer Ugonna Onyenso. The former Illinois star averaged 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.1 blocks during his senior season in Champaign and was a third-team All-Big Ten selection. He also shot a career-best 36.9% from long range, making him a legitimate three-point threat.
“I will never play in the Big Ten again. I wouldn’t play in the Big East,” Hawkins said at the NBA Combine one month ago. Despite skepticism from many college basketball fans, Hawkins kept his promise and will look to showcase his versatility in the Big Twelve next season during his final year of college basketball.
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