As LSU basketball continues to ramp up its rebuild under [autotag]Matt McMahon[/autotag], the Tigers are set to host the top available recruit in the transfer portal on June 17, according to On3’s Joe Tipton.
[autotag]Coleman Hawkins[/autotag], originally a three-star recruit in 2019, hit the portal after playing four years at Illinois. He’s coming off a career year where he averaged 12.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game while shooting over 45% from the field. The 6-foot-10 forward was a factor inside but could score it from deep too, averaging 1.4 threes made per game his last two years in Champaign.
Along with LSU, Kansas State is also getting a visit from Hawkins. Louisville was originally a contender, but Hawkins elected to cancel that visit.
Hawkins also tested the NBA draft waters before pulling his name and returning to the college ranks.
“I would go somewhere I can enjoy a football game,” Hawkins quipped last month.
There’s a lot more to his decision than that, but LSU’s athletic tradition across the board can’t hurt.
Illinois transfer forward Coleman Hawkins, the top available player in the portal, is scheduled to visit LSU on June 17th, source tells @On3sports. https://t.co/SKq17pgNY8 pic.twitter.com/hgrhPcHp7B
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) June 8, 2024
With Coleman Hawkins withdrawing from the NBA Draft, the now former #Illini is in the portal. His thoughts earlier this month about a new school:
"I will never play in the Big Ten again, I wouldn't play in the Big East. I would go somewhere where I can enjoy a football game" pic.twitter.com/q1AgGD6GFU
— Bret Beherns (@WCIA3Bret) May 30, 2024
If McMahon pulls this off, Hawkins would be the fourth member of an already strong transfer class that ranks No. 11 in the country, according to On3.
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