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Coleman is coming back.
Two months after entering the NBA Draft, rising senior Coleman Hawkins withdrew his name from the field and announced Wednesday night he will be coming back to Illinois for one more season.
Coleman Hawkins is withdrawing from the NBA draft and returning to Illinois for his senior season, he told ESPN. Big day for Illinois who also retained leading scorer TJ Shannon. pic.twitter.com/M6uLY2t9rW
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 1, 2023
Damn I ain’t even get a chance to post my video…
— Coleman Hawkins (@colehawk23) June 1, 2023
Hawkins had said in recent days that he wanted to know if a team was planning on drafting him before making his decision. The deadline to withdraw from the NBA Draft is Wednesday.
#Illini Coleman Hawkins has until Wednesday to make a decision if he will stay in the NBA draft or return to college basketball. Hawkins said he wants to know if a team is really interested in him before making his decision.https://t.co/jpHBErEw66
— WCIA 3 Sports (@WCIA3sports) May 29, 2023
Not much of a factor in his freshman season, Hawkins had a much bigger role as a sophomore. Averaging almost 20 minutes a game, he recorded six double-digit scoring performances.
Hawkins was crucial in many wins last season, but every starter departing left him with big shoes to fill.
He became one of the leaders on this year’s Illinois squad, averaging 9.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.
One of his best games of the year was back in November, when he recorded the fifth triple-double in program history.
Hawkins’ creativity and inside presence were also complemented by his athletic ability. Multiple posterizing dunks made the Illini big man a human-highlight reel.
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