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Illinois Basketball: Rerating every Illini recruit from the 2010s

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, IL - MARCH 08: Kofi Cockburn #21 of the Illinois Fighting Illini breaks up a scuffle between Da'Monte Williams #20 of the Illinois Fighting Illini and Connor McCaffery #30 of the Iowa Hawkeyes during the game at State Farm Center on March 8, 2020 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - MARCH 08: Kofi Cockburn #21 of the Illinois Fighting Illini breaks up a scuffle between Da'Monte Williams #20 of the Illinois Fighting Illini and Connor McCaffery #30 of the Iowa Hawkeyes during the game at State Farm Center on March 8, 2020 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS – NOVEMBER 26: Jermaine Hamlin #34 of the Illinois Fighting Illini takes a shot in the game against the Lindenwood Lions at State Farm Center on November 26, 2019 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS – NOVEMBER 26: Jermaine Hamlin #34 of the Illinois Fighting Illini takes a shot in the game against the Lindenwood Lions at State Farm Center on November 26, 2019 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /

31. Jermaine Hamlin (Old: NR/NR – New: 3-star/0.8266)

The class of 2019 had some special talent in it for the Illinois basketball program. Kofi Cockburn is one of the best centers to ever play for the team. But the Illini needed some size for his backup. That is where Jermaine Hamlin came into play.

Hamlin was a 6-foot-10, 240-pound center coming out of Lincoln Community High School and residing in Lincoln, Illinois. He wasn’t rated or ranked by the recruiting sites at the time, but that didn’t stop Illinois from pursuing the big man. The Illini came in with his only DI offer and he accepted.

During the 2019-20 campaign, Hamlin provided help to Kofi at the No. 5 spot. He wasn’t asked to do a ton, but he needed to be solid when Kofi needed a rest. Hamlin had a chance to play in 16 games as a true freshman. In the time he saw on the court, he ended up averaging 0.9 points and 0.8 rebounds per game.

I think Hamlin could have a bright future as the backup big man at Illinois. He came in unrated and unranked, but I would move him up past a few of the Illini players over the past decade. I have Hamlin as a three-star recruit with a rating of 0.8266.

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