Tag: coleman hawkins

All-Big Ten forward Coleman Hawkins to forgo eligibility, declare for NBA draft

Hawkins was voted to the All-Big Ten second team after averaging 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.1 blocks.

Illinois senior Coleman Hawkins announced Tuesday on social media that he will forgo his remaining college eligibility and declare for the 2024 NBA draft.

Hawkins was voted to the All-Big Ten second team by the Associated Press after averaging a career-high 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.1 blocks. He registered five 20-point games, including a season-high 30 points, five assists and five steals on Feb. 24.

The 6-foot-10 forward leaves Illinois as the only player in program history to record at least 900 points, 500 rebounds, 200 assists, 100 blocks and 100 steals in a career. He averaged 23.5 minutes per game in 126 total appearances.

Hawkins tested the pre-draft process last year and ultimately returned to school for one more season. He is considered a potential second-round pick this year, given his ability to defend multiple positions with his athleticism and size at 230 pounds.

His offensive game has evolved over his time with the Fighting Illini. He can put the ball on the floor and drive it into the paint, and he has a good ability to finish at the rim. He has also improved his outside shooting after converting 36.9% on 4.6 attempts this past season.

The 22-year-old will have the opportunity to improve his draft positioning in team interviews and workouts over the pre-draft process. He could also be invited to compete in the G League Elite Camp or draft combine next month in Chicago, Illinois.

The 2024 NBA draft will take place June 26-27 in New York City.

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Ranking the Top-10 Big Ten players heading into the basketball season

Ranking the top 10 players in the Big Ten entering the college basketball season.

The long-awaited 2023-24 college basketball season begins today, and the Big Ten’s slate of games features 10 of the conference’s teams in action. Iowa, Indiana, Maryland and Michigan will have to wait one more day.

The Big Ten does not lack star power as the conference boasts the reigning national player of the year in Purdue’s Zach Edey as well as a bunch of premier guards. As we all know, guard play dominates college basketball, especially in March.

Before the games tip off this evening, we take a look at the top 10 Big Ten players. Are any freshmen ranked? Does any supplant Edey as number one?

Honorable mentions (in no particular order): Bruce Thorton (Ohio State), Keisei Tominaga (Nebraska), Mackenzie Mgbako (Indiana), Jamison Battle (Ohio State), Tyler Wahl (Wisconsin), Coleman Hawkins (Illinois), Chucky Hepburn (Wisconsin).

Coleman Hawkins ranks Rutgers basketball’s Steve Pikiell as the Big Ten’s best coach (other than his own)

Coleman Hawkins says he would like to play for Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell if he wasn’t at Illinois.

Illinois standout Coleman Hawkins said that if he didn’t end up at the Illini, he would have played for Rutgers basketball head coach Steve Pikiell. It was a nice (and unsolicited) shoutout from one of the Big Ten’s top returning players.

A four-star recruit according to ESPN.com, Hawkins was a Rutgers recruit and even visited campus in June of 2019. He was a part of Illinois’ strong 2020 recruiting class.

The comments from Hawkins were interesting because they were unsolicited. On3 national recruiting analyst posted a graphic on X (the social media platform formerly known as Twitter) where he asked fans which Big Ten head coach they’d like to play for.

It is a simple way to up social media engagement, and Tipton probably wasn’t expecting to see a Big Ten player respond. And he probably didn’t expect to see a conference head coach also named in the response:

 

Hawkins was quick to point out that his tweet was “Coach Pikiell (obviously not counting illinois).” Hawkins projects to be a big factor in the Illinois front court this year and landed a very good spot both on and off the court.

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Last season, Hawkins averaged 9.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.

Catching up with the Boston Celtics’ 2023 NBA draft workouts part III

Another round of prospective Celtics have worked out for Boston ahead of the 2023 NBA draft.

Win or lose in the NBA’s 2023 Eastern Conference Finals series with the Miami Heat, the Boston Celtics have plenty on their plate regarding their future as they continue to work out prospects projected to go in the second round of the ’23 NBA draft.

With the Celtics likely to need cheap depth in the future, look for prospects who are either polished enough to get some depth minutes in their rookie campaign or who might be okay with a season or two stashed abroad while the team makes decisions about how it will use the new two way player slot added to rosters in the latest collective bargaining agreement recently adopted by the league.

Adding to our previous reporting of the team’s known workouts comes a new wave courtesy of our sister sites Rookie Wire and HoopsHype as well as the New York Times’ Adam Zagoria — let’s take a look at who Boston has been scoping out.

Coleman Hawkins in OKC for Thunder pre-draft visit

Coleman Hawkins is in Oklahoma City for a pre-draft visit with the Thunder.

The 2023 NBA draft combined is scheduled to take place soon from May 15 to May 21, which means the draft season is right around the corner.

It looks like the Oklahoma City Thunder are underway with draft evaluations as they have begun conducting pre-draft visits. Illinois forward Coleman Hawkins gets the honor of being the first 2023 draft prospect to publicly let it known he visited with the Thunder.

The 21-year-old is currently projected to go in the second round of the 2023 NBA draft. The 6-foot-10, 253-pound forward averaged 9.9 points on 44.1% shooting, 6.3 rebounds and three assists in 33 games last season. He also shot 28% from 3 on four attempts. Hawkins spent three seasons at Illinois.

The Thunder will have two second-round picks in the 2023 NBA draft, which means they could get two shots at drafting Hawkins if they like him enough to do so.

The 2023 NBA draft is scheduled to happen on Thursday, June 22.

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NBA draft combine 2023: A complete tracker of player invitations

Rookie Wire took a look at those prospects that have earned invitations to compete in the NBA draft combine and G League Elite Camp.

The NBA pre-draft process is in full swing as prospects work toward achieving the ultimate goal of hearing their names called by Commissioner Adam Silver on June 22.

Reports are beginning to surface of prospects receiving invitations to compete in the draft combine on May 15-21 in Chicago, Illinois. Each year, teams submit a list of players they would like to see invited, typically those with the highest odds of getting drafted.

The event features 5-on-5 games, strength and agility testing, shooting drills, measurements and other related on-court exercises. Prospects have the opportunity to improve their draft stock in a competitive environment against their peers.

Last year, 76 players were announced as participants in the event.

The G League Elite Camp will take place in Chicago on May 13-14 with players competing in front of NBA and G League scouts, coaches and front-office executives. The top performers will also be invited to perform in the draft combine.

The official list of participants for both events has yet to be unveiled.

Those underclassmen that filed as early entry candidates will also have the chance to interview with teams and gain feedback on their draft positioning. The information will be helpful in forming their decisions on staying in the draft or returning to school before the May 31 deadline.

Rookie Wire took a look at those prospects that have reportedly earned invitations to compete in the combine and G League Elite Camp. The list will be updated as more names emerge.

Last Update: May 14, 11:15 p.m. EDT

2023 NBA Mock Draft 3.0: Projections for every pick post-March Madness

Rookie Wire took a look at where the next draft class stands following the NCAA Tournament.

The NBA pre-draft process is in full swing as prospects around the world prepare to transition to the next level.

Teams around the league will begin hosting private workouts in the coming weeks as they finalize their draft boards. There will be various pro days on the radar and, of course, the draft combine and G League Elite Camp next month in Chicago, Illinois.

Underclassmen have until April 23 to declare for the draft. Several notable players have already decided to return to school, including Kyle Filipowski, Harrison Ingram, Baylor Scheierman and Kel’el Ware. Others are still mulling over their decisions.

Related: Key dates for NBA draft, combine, lottery and deadlines

With players still in the process of making decisions, some prospects were excluded from this mock draft because they are projected to return to school next season. However, most players projected to be drafted have already announced their decisions.

Rookie Wire took a look at where the draft stands following the NCAA Tournament. It is important to note that team needs were not necessarily taken into account with each pick. The projections are rather a look at where each individual player stands at this point of the process.

Note: The order of the draft was pulled from Tankathon as of April 14. The draft will have only 58 picks this year because the Bulls and 76ers were stripped of their second-round picks by the NBA due to tampering violations.

Illinois’ Coleman Hawkins to declare for draft, maintain eligibility

Hawkins averaged 9.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, three assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals in 33 games.

Illinois junior Coleman Hawkins announced Tuesday on social media that he will enter the 2023 NBA draft while maintaining his remaining collegiate eligibility.

Hawkins averaged a career-high 9.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, three assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals on 44.1% shooting from the field in 33 games. He ranked eighth in the Big Ten in blocks and seventh in defensive win shares (2.1).

The 6-foot-10 forward is most commonly projected to be a second-round pick this year. He is highly touted for his versatility and ability to defend multiple positions with his athleticism and size at 225 pounds. He can also put the ball on the floor and drive into the paint.

Testing the draft will give Hawkins the opportunity to gain feedback on his overall game and skills. He could be invited to participate in the draft combine or G League Elite Camp in May in front of team executives and scouts.

He will have until May 31 to withdraw from the draft and return to college.

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Penn State advances in Big Ten Tournament: Wins thriller against Illinois

Penn State advances and prepares for a matchup with Northwestern.

What a game!

In a tournament that had seen the lower-seeded teams win all four games prior to Penn State tipping off, that could have been looked at as either a good or bad omen.

The 10th-seeded Nittany Lions faced the seventh-seeded Illini, who they had beaten twice this season. Coming into the game, the old adage that it’s hard to beat a team three times was prevalent.

That was put to bed Thursday night with Penn State winning 79-76 to reach the quarterfinals of the tournament for the second straight season.

As expected in a trilogy, the game was tight to start. During the first ten minutes of the game, there were four lead changes and two ties. That would be a theme throughout the game.

However, the ten-minute mark was when Penn State started to separate in the first half.

After leading 17-14, they held Illinois to six points over the next six minutes. With five and a half minutes remaining in the first half, Penn State held a nine point lead.

Then, it was Illinois’ turn to make their run.

Penn State was held to two points for the remainder of the first half. The Illini cut the lead to 31-30 at halftime.

The second half had the makings of an all-time Big Ten Tournament game.

Two minutes in, it was tied 34-34 and it was game on from there. The second half saw 12 lead changes and four ties.

Penn State looked like they were in big trouble at times. Playing in front of a pro-Illinois crowd in Chicago, the stadium erupted when the Illini took a 40-46 lead at the 14:18 mark.

It was all grit from the Nittany Lions as they battled back. [autotag]Jalen Pickett[/autotag], who had a quiet scoring night, finished their 7-0 run to put Penn State back up 47-46.

From that point, it was a back and forth affair. Each team took the lead and then gave it up the next possession.

At the 6:30 mark, Pickett made a layup that put Penn State up for good. They never relinquished the lead for the rest of the game.

There was just enough separation that kept Illinois at arms length. This was punctuated by [autotag]Andrew Funk[/autotag]’s dagger three to put Penn State up eight with just under four minutes remaining.

Funk was sensational. He was the game’s leading scorer with 20 points, 18 of them coming from his six three-pointers.

In a night that Pickett was quiet scoring the ball, seniors [autotag]Camren Wynter[/autotag] and [autotag]Seth Lundy[/autotag] stepped up scoring 18 and 17 points respectively. Lundy finished with a double-double adding 10 rebounds.

Down the stretch, Penn State made things interesting when they couldn’t quite completely shut the door by missing multiple three throws.

But what’s a Penn State basketball game without some drama?

Illinois clawed their way back into the game, but their effort came up just short. Senior guard [autotag]Terrence Shannon Jr.[/autotag] was the Illini’s leading scorer with 19 points. Junior forward [autotag]Coleman Hawkins[/autotag] was a problem for Penn State all night and finished the game with 17 points.

This was a huge win for the Nittany Lions. It all but assures they’ve punched their ticket into the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 12 years.

But this team isn’t thinking about that right now.

They are still playing in the Big Ten Tournament and face a Northwestern team on Friday that they just beat.

That game is expected to tip off at 6:30 pm ET on Big Ten Network.

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Penn State, Jalen Pickett crush Illinois to stop losing streak

Jalen Pickett went off on Illinois to snap Penn State basketball’s losing streak.

Penn State’s offense was on full display at The Bryce Jordan Center on Tuesday night. They used their hot shooting night to beat Illinois 93-81.

This victory put a stop to the four-game losing streak Penn State had coming into the evening. The story of the game was [autotag]Jalen Pickett[/autotag].

After the loss to Maryland over the weekend, coach [autotag]Micah Shrewsberry[/autotag] put the spotlight on Pickett.

Frustrated with the lack of foul calls Pickett has been receiving, Shrewsberry said, “That kid is one of the best players in our league. He’s being treated unfairly.”

Pickett was red-hot in the first half. He looked to attack and get himself involved in the offense early.

He finished the first half with 24 points, shooting 10 of 12 from the floor and 4 of 6 from three.

Pickett also scored his 2,000th career point in the first half after hitting a three. This is a major milestone for the senior guard who is in his second season at Penn State.

The rest of the team followed their senior guard’s performance. Penn State shot 56% in the first half from both the field and three-point land.

After trailing at halftime in all four of their previous games, the Nittany Lions took a 53-40 lead into the locker room.

The hot shooting continued for Penn State.

Pickett finished with 41 points, shooting 15-20 from the field and 5-9 from three. This set the Bryce Jordan Center record for most points scored in a single game.

He also became the third men’s player to score 40 points in a game for Penn State, joining Gene Harris and Jesse Arnelle.

Guard [autotag]Seth Lundy[/autotag] added 15 points and seven rebounds. Freshman guard [autotag]Kanye Clary[/autotag] continued his run of good play adding 12 points on 50% shooting.

The team finished the game shooting 57.9% from the field and 42.9% from three point range.

This was the response they needed at home, hosting Illinois who came into the game 8-2 in their last 10 games.

Senior guard [autotag]Terrence Shannon Jr.[/autotag] was the game’s second leading scorer with 20 points. The Illini also had four others in double digits, including starting forwards [autotag]Coleman Hawkins[/autotag] with 12 points, [autotag]Matthew Mayer[/autotag] with 11 points and guard [autotag]Jayden Epps[/autotag] with 12 points.

Penn State goes on the road for their next game. They will face Minnesota, Saturday night at 9 pm eastern on Big Ten Network.

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