What does latest roster news mean for the Illini?
Mar. 29—Jayden Epps is in the transfer portal. Coleman Hawkins has declared for the draft. What's it all mean for Illinois? Beat writer Scott Richey breaks it down:
Jayden Epps
What he did
Epps was part of a young backcourt that was essentially handed the keys to the Illinois offense for the 2022-23 season. Not a pure point guard by any definition of the position, Epps had to find a balance between being a scorer (his more natural fit) and a facilitator once fellow freshman guard Skyy Clark left the program in early January. Epps was in the rotation from game one and finished his debut season averaging 9.5 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists.
What it means
It's a new era of college basketball. Epps was never not a central figure in what Illinois wanted to accomplish in 2022-23. Even when he didn't start, the freshman guard was playing meaningful minutes and finished the year at 24.6 minutes per game despite only getting on the court for just nine total minutes in his final two games. Yet, the Norfolk, Va., native is still in the transfer portal looking for a better — or at least different — opportunity.
What's next for Illinois
Finding a veteran guard was always a priority this offseason. Losing Epps just makes it more of a necessity. The Illini opted not to go down that path heading into the 2022-23 season, and it didn't work. So now it's time to mine the transfer portal for a guard with experience running an offense. The ideal situation would be landing a veteran guard with multiple years of remaining eligibility, so Illinois isn't in the same spot a year from now.
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Coleman Hawkins
What he did
Hawkins bided his time the past two seasons as a role player on veteran teams. His role evolved in 2022-23 as a full-time starter. The 6-foot-10 junior forward battled consistency and efficiency as much as his teammates, but at his peak contributed in several areas. Hawkins set career highs in scoring, rebounding and assists, averaging 9.9 points, 6.3 rebound and three assists this past season, and led the Illini in the latter two categories.
What it means
Simply declaring for the 2023 NBA draft doesn't mean Hawkins' college basketball career is finished. The Sacramento, Calif., native entered the draft while maintaining his eligibility and has a little time to figure out what path he'll take. That puts Illinois in a holding pattern until he decides. Should he opt to return to the Illini, he'll be welcomed with open arms given how much coach Brad Underwood has praised his game the last three seasons.
What's next for Illinois
Regardless of Hawkins' decision, Illinois might head to the portal to bolster its frontcourt. Dain Dainja is returning and there are high hopes for incoming freshman Amani Hansberry, but one more depth piece wouldn't hurt. That portal hunt becomes a must if Hawkins doesn't return, and the likely target would probably display some of the same versatile skill set that Underwood values so highly.
