WATCH: Illinois transfer Coleman Hawkins drops electrifying hype video hours after securing a $2M NIL deal with Kansas State

Coleman Hawkins, the former Illinois forward and a four-star player in the transfer portal this offseason, has officially aligned himself with Kansas State behind a lucrative NIL deal. The forward recently returned to college for a graduate year and had initial plans of landing in Louisville. However, as soon as he visited Kansas State, he canceled his other visits and announced his commitment.

Now, as Coleman's $2 million NIL agreement becomes the largest negotiated NIL by a collective in college basketball, the 6-foot-10 wing dropped a hype video to celebrate his new journey with the Wildcats.

Coleman Hawkins was a pivotal player for the Illinois Fighting Illini last season as they recorded their deepest run in program history since 2005. They ended the season with a 29-9 record and entered the Elite Eight.

Hawkins led the team in rebounds (6.1), steals (1.5) and blocks (1.1) per game. He was third in points (12.1) and second in assists (2.7).

Now, Coleman Hawkins joins the Wildcats after a dismal 19-15 season that failed to qualify for the NCAA tournament. Nevertheless, the program showed promise in 2023, when they made it to the Elite Eight during Jerome Tang's first season as the head coach.

Coleman Hawkins' role at KSU

Moreover, Tang has a handful of options this time around as KSU flaunts eight new players through the portal, six of which are four-star additions. This gives Kansas State a much-needed set of experienced players.

Coleman Hawkins figures to get ample minutes this season. The 6-foot-10 forward's all-around ability on the court sets him up for immediate impact on the 2024-25 season.

Hawkins' arrival should also add more depth to Tang's frontcourt. The Wildcats now have a trio of capable bigs with Hawkins, Arthur Kaluma (14.4 points and 7.0 rebounds per game last season), and David N'Guessan (7.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG). But while Hawkins' versatility can enable him to play as a stretch forward, building chemistry with his teammates will take some time.

Nevertheless, Kansas State is a good opportunity for the youngster to showcase his true potential to the NBA scouts and improve his stock ahead of the 2025 NBA draft.