Illinois basketball star Coleman Hawkins is currently at the NBA Draft Combine testing the waters, but he can still go back to school for another year if he wants to. Hawkins also entered the transfer portal, so he won't be coming back to the Fighting Illini. One team that is hoping to get him in the transfer portal is North Carolina basketball. Hawkins has made it clear that he wants to go pro, but if the opportunity isn't there, he will come back to college. The Tar Heels could be a good option for him.
Coleman Hawkins was asked about his decision at the combine, and it is clear that returning to college is not his top choice.
“I just feel like I've kind of outgrown college basketball,” Hawkins said, according to an article from 247 Sports. “I'm ready to just give my life to basketball, if that makes sense. Signing that contract, it becomes real life and it's not college. You could get away with not going hard in practice or kind of taking plays off. You could get mad at me for saying that, but not everybody's going 100% like that. I play hard in games and things like that, but it would be real-life situations. The moment I stay in this draft — and I think I'm ready for that, I'm ready for my game to grow, I'm ready for my body to change, and I'm ready to just open up to a whole new world of basketball that I've never experienced.”
In terms of where he would go if he did come back, that's still up in the air. North Carolina basketball fans would love to have him, but Hawkins will have a lot of good options if he decides to take that route. He will not be going back to Illinois basketball, however, that is clear.
“I've done four years at Illinois,” Hawkins said. “I'm now an Illinois grad. I've put my heart and soul into Illinois for the last four years. So, I mean, it would be cool to go back one more year, but I just don't think it would be the right thing to do. Not just for myself, but for the staff and for the people coming in.”
What is Hawkins looking for in terms of other colleges?
Coleman Hawkins has made two things clear: He is not playing in the Big Ten or the Big East if he comes back to college. North Carolina basketball fans will like that. Hawkins also wouldn't mind going somewhere with a good football team. That is something he did not have at Illinois.
“I would go somewhere with a football team where I can enjoy a football game,” Hawkins said. “But yeah, some schools have reached out, but some schools, I've just been honest with them and I haven't wasted their time. I flat out told 'em, that's just not somewhere I would even consider going.”
Hawkins can still make a lot of money in college because of NIL, and that's something to think about. He knows that he can get a lot, but he doesn't want to make the most.
“I know someone just became the highest-paid player, and I wouldn't want to have that label,” He added. “I'd be making a good amount, but that's a lot of added pressure when you label yourself that. … I've had lots of offers. I've had offers to sign with agencies. I'm not a person who is moved by money, and if I'm being honest with you, to have that label (as highest paid player) is just an unwanted amount of pressure because as soon as you do something wrong, as soon as anything happens, as soon as you have a bad game, people are just going to question all that money. So even if I did come back to school, I'd let you guys guess whatever amount I got. I would never share that information because, I mean if I'm being honest, it's kind of selfish. Not only for yourself but for your teammates knowing what you made. I wouldn't have those conversations with my teammates. I wouldn't want anyone to know what I made.”
In terms of the league, Hawkins is looking for a guarantee. If he is going to stay in the draft, he wants to know that it is going to pay off.
“I'd really love to hear from a team that I can at least get a minimum contract, something guaranteed,” Hawkins said. “I'd feel really comfortable with that. Because I honestly really don't want to go back to school. … Someone who cannot tell me ‘hey we're going to draft you, we're going to give you that contract' but just feel comfortable enough where I'm going to get that.”
So far, Hawkins is doing well at the combine. In fact, he was named player of the game on Wednesday.
Coleman Hawkins has some big decisions to make, and it's going to be interesting to see which route he chooses.
Follow Us
Subscribe