REPORTS: Assistants Orlando Antigua and Chin Coleman leaving for Kentucky

Illinois Basketball assistants Orlando Antigua and Chin Coleman are headed to Lexington according to CatsPause.com.

Antigua previously served under Calipari with Memphis and Kentucky from 2008-14. The Dominican Republic native then went on to spend three seasons at the helm of USF before joining Brad Underwood’s staff at Illinois.

Ron “Chin” Coleman spent the last four seasons with the Illini as an assistant coach after spending two seasons in the same role at UIC.

Both coaches played integral parts on the recruiting trail and are tough losses for the Illini program.

Coleman was a big factor in Illinois landing All-American Ayo Dosunmu among others, and Antigua was huge for Kofi Cockburn and his development. The 7-footer came in as an unpolished big with all the necessary physical traits that was transformed into an All-American caliber star on one of the best teams in the country.

Dosunmu has already spoke out about the news:

Coleman previously served on staffs at Colorado State, Nebraska and Bradley before joining the Flames in 2016, and was a coach for the Mac Irvin Fire — a pipeline that has paid dividends for Illinois — from 2005-11. He is a Chicago native and played his college ball at Weber State and Lamar, where he ranks No. 11 on the school’s all-time scoring list.

That now leaves the Illini with pretty big shoes to fill for the coaching brass. Hopefully, it doesn’t lead to any current players throwing their names in the transfer portal.