Illinois Basketball: Projected Illini starting lineup with Coleman Hawkins

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CHAMPAIGN, IL – DECEMBER 15: Teams stand during the National Anthem before the first meeting between ETSU Bucs and University of Illinois Fighting Illini, Saturday, December 15, 2018, State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by David Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

The Illinois basketball team added to the family over the weekend, so this changes the lineup for the future.

Coleman Hawkins decided to end his recruitment and play for Brad Underwood and the Illini. The two other programs who received official visits were Rutgers and San Diego State, but the Illinois coaching staff put together a great pitch and landed the talented big man.

This was a commitment for the Illini that doesn’t seem huge on paper, but it is going to be huge for the team over the next couple of seasons. Illinois is so thin at the No. 4 and No. 5 spots when the 2020-2021 season comes around. The fact we were able to land a player like Hawkins will help fill the massive voids we will have on the team.

I am still slightly worried about life after Ayo Dosunmu and others, but Illinois showed some life with the Hawkins commitment. He is the first player to pledge to the Illini for the class of 2020. There are still a few big fish left, though. Illinois needs to snag a few of these big fish to close out the class.

Here is the projected Illini starting lineup with Coleman Hawkins.

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