Kansas State basketball recruiting: Wildcats secure Illinois transfer Coleman Hawkins with a lucrative $2 million NIL deal

The Kansas State Wildcats have landed Illinois transfer Coleman Hawkins in the transfer portal. Hawkins was the top-ranked player left in the transfer portal and was the 22nd-ranked player overall in the transfer portal.

Hawkins is a senior and has played four years with the Illinois Fighting Illini. The forward averaged 12.1 points last year and had declared for the draft and transfer the portal.

Hawkins later withdrew his name from the draft but remained in the transfer portal. He has committed to Kansas State mainly due to his NIL deal.

"Illinois transfer Coleman Hawkins – a 6-foot-10 F – has committed to play for Kansas State in what’s believed to be the most lucrative college basketball NIL deal ($2 million) negotiated from a collective by Nate Conley of Court XIV and Aaron Turner of Verus Basketball," Shams Charania reported.

Hawkins landing a $2 million NIL deal is significant and likely influenced his decision to commit to Kansas State.

In his college career with Illinois, Hawkins averaged 7.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 126 games.

Kansas State basketball recruiting

The Kansas State Wildcats have landed several key players in the transfer portal this offseason.

The latest player to transfer to Kansas State is four-star recruit Coleman Hawkins. Along with that, the Wildcats landed Kentucky center Ugonna Onyenso.

Last season, Onyenso recorded 3.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg and 2.1 bpg in 24 games, including 14 starts.

Kansas State has also landed Dug McDaniel from Michigan, Achor Achor from Samford, and Max Jones from Cal State among others.

McDaniel started all 26 games for Michigan last season, averaging 16.3 ppg, 4.7 apg and 3.7 rpg.

Achor Achor, meanwhile, started all 33 games for Samford last season, recording 16.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg,1.5 apg and 1.8 bpg.

Finally, Max Jones played at Cal State last season and averaged 15.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg and 1.9 apg.