Good Morning, Illini Nation: Potential destinations for Coleman Hawkins

Jun. 12—Coleman Hawkins visited Kansas State this past weekend. He’ll spend this coming weekend at LSU. And SMU is reportedly still a potential landing spot for the top-ranked remaining transfer in the portal.

But which program would constitute the best fit from a roster perspective?

Kansas State

The upside of landing in Manhattan, Kan., is the other work Jerome Tang and Co. have done in the transfer portal to build the Wildcats’ frontcourt. Landing Ugonna Onyenso (Kentucky) and Baye Fall (Arkansas) works for Hawkins because they can play the 5 and allow him to play his natural position at the 4. A potential downside? Tang already got himself a stretch 4 in Achor Achor. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 16.1 points and 6.1 rebounds last season while shooting 43.5 percent from three-point range playing “Bucky Ball” at Samford.

LSU

Most of the Tigers’ efforts this offseason in the portal have revolved around adding guards and wings. Three of them, in fact, in Cam Carter (Kansas State), Dji Bailey (Richmond) and Jordan Sears (UT Martin). Hawkins could slide right into a frontcourt playing next to Jalen Reed and Daimion Collins — neither of which stretch the floor.

SMU

New SMU coach Andy Enfield has added a pair of centers in Yohan Traore (UC Santa Barbara/Auburn) and Jerrell Colbert (Kansas State/LSU), which obviously works in Hawkins’ favor since he doesn’t want to play the 5 anymore. What’s less ideal were the additions of Matt Cross (UMass/Miami) and Tibet Gorener (San Jose State/Arizona), who are both wings that trend more toward forward than guard.