Former Kansas State Assistant Played Role In Coleman Hawkins Joining The Wildcats

May 15, 2024; Chicago, IL, USA; Coleman Hawkins (66) and Nae’Qwan Tomlin (10) participate during the 2024 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports | David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas State basketball program received a huge assist from a former assistant to land a big offseason acquisition.

Transfer forward Coleman Hawkins said Illinois coach Brad Underwood did a solid job of selling the Wildcats. Underwood coached Hawkins for four years with the Fighting Illini.

Underwood was also a K-State assistant from 2006-12.

"He started to talk to me about K-State," Hawkins said on an appearance on the Sleepers podcast. "He had nothing negative to say. He just put in a good word. He was pretty positive about everything. He told me about Aggieville. He told me that's where his wife is from." 

Hawkins played a key role in the Illini reaching the Elite Eight of last year's NCAA Tournament. Their run ended against eventual champion UConn.

After the season, he tested the NBA waters before withdrawing from the draft. He had the option of returning to Illinois but felt K-State was a better fit. With Underwood's endorsement, it was an easy choice for Hawkins to finish his career in Manhattan.

He is expected to be a strong contributor for a Wildcats team that should fare well in the Big 12.

"I even told him, `I was like, dang coach, you trying to sell me on your old school or what," Hawkins said of Underwood. "He just kind of laughed it off. He was nothing but positive about sharing information about K-State for sure."'

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Kansas State Wildcats On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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