NCAAB · 1 year ago

CBB Transfer Portal: 5 Landings Spots for Coleman Hawkins

TJ Inman

Host · Writer

5. USC Trojans
Speaking of rosters in flux, the USC Trojans have a completely flipped roster with nine new portal additions under head coach Eric Musselman. They were only 15-18 last season, and Andy Enfield bolted for SMU with the Trojans hiring Musselman from Arkansas. Coleman would be the best shooting big man on the roster and would slot in nicely in Musselman’s uptempo system. Coleman Hawkins is originally from Sacramento, California, so it would be a return to his home state to finish his collegiate career. Hawkins swore he would not play for any rival Big Ten schools, but USC is a newcomer to the league and could hardly be considered a rival to the Illini.

USC Trojans 2025 NCAA Title odds: +8000
1. 2024 NBA Draft
Illinois big man Coleman Hawkins was named Second Team All-Big Ten in 2023 after averaging 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. He is a plus-level defender who started 68 games over the past two seasons. Hawkins is a 6’10” center who can stretch the floor with adequate perimeter shooting and is a decent rim runner and protector. Hawkins entered the transfer portal and the NBA Draft and has clarified that he intends to stay in the draft. Hawkins participated in the NBA Combine and has until May 29 to withdraw his name from the NBA Draft and return to college for a final season of eligibility. He will stay if Hawkins gets a draft promise from at least one team.
2. North Carolina Tar Heels
The North Carolina Tar Heels have added sharpshooter Cade Tyson from Belmont, and star guard RJ Davis is returning for another season. They have yet to fill the biggest hole on their roster: center. Mainstay Armando Bacot has departed for the NBA, and Hubert Davis is currently relying on a massive jump from Jalen Washington to have a decent starting center. The Tar Heels have been rumored as a potentially attractive destination for Hawkins should he need to return to school. Adding Hawkins would give UNC precisely what they need and enough firepower to contend in the ACC.

North Carolina 2025 NCAA Title Odds: +1800
3. West Virginia Mountaineers
West Virginia is trying to build under new head coach Darian DeVries. The Mountaineers have already added Sencire Harris and Amani Hansberry through the transfer portal, and Coleman Hawkins could join his former Illini teammates in Morgantown. Former assistant head coach at Illinois, Chester Frazier, moved to WVU and has immediately impacted the roster. Frazier has a relationship with Hawkins, and West Virginia could use an impact big man. Hawkins publicly said he would not play for another Big Ten team, so heading to the Big 12 could make sense.

West Virginia 2025 NCAA Title Odds: +12000
4. Louisville Cardinals
The Louisville Cardinals have been in rebuild mode for over three seasons. After a disastrous pair of campaigns under Kenny Payne, the Cardinals hired Pat Kelsey from the College of Charleston. He has built a solid roster with wings and guards, but there is a lack of size heading into the 2024 campaign. Kelsey would prefer to have five players who can shoot from three on the court at all times, and Coleman Hawkins solves a couple of issues for Louisville. Hawkins can shoot from three and has proven rim-protection ability as a 6’10” center. It would be a long shot for the Louisville Cardinals to convince Hawkins to rebuild a roster in flux with no prior connections, but they have spent big in the NIL market and could entice him.

Louisville 2025 NCAA Title Odds: +8000
5. USC Trojans
Speaking of rosters in flux, the USC Trojans have a completely flipped roster with nine new portal additions under head coach Eric Musselman. They were only 15-18 last season, and Andy Enfield bolted for SMU with the Trojans hiring Musselman from Arkansas. Coleman would be the best shooting big man on the roster and would slot in nicely in Musselman’s uptempo system. Coleman Hawkins is originally from Sacramento, California, so it would be a return to his home state to finish his collegiate career. Hawkins swore he would not play for any rival Big Ten schools, but USC is a newcomer to the league and could hardly be considered a rival to the Illini.

USC Trojans 2025 NCAA Title odds: +8000
1. 2024 NBA Draft
Illinois big man Coleman Hawkins was named Second Team All-Big Ten in 2023 after averaging 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. He is a plus-level defender who started 68 games over the past two seasons. Hawkins is a 6’10” center who can stretch the floor with adequate perimeter shooting and is a decent rim runner and protector. Hawkins entered the transfer portal and the NBA Draft and has clarified that he intends to stay in the draft. Hawkins participated in the NBA Combine and has until May 29 to withdraw his name from the NBA Draft and return to college for a final season of eligibility. He will stay if Hawkins gets a draft promise from at least one team.

CBB Transfer Portal: 5 Landings Spots for Coleman Hawkins

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