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Illinois Basketball: Early projected Illini lineup for the 2021-22 season

By Rees Woodcock

Nov 27, 2020; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Trent Frazier (left) and guard Da'Monte Williams (right) celebrate during the second half against the Ohio Bobcats at the State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 27, 2020; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Trent Frazier (left) and guard Da'Monte Williams (right) celebrate during the second half against the Ohio Bobcats at the State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports /
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CHARLESTON, SC – NOVEMBER 21: Omar Payne #5 of the Florida Gators takes a foul shot during a first round Charleston Classic basketball game against the Saint Joseph’s Hawks at the TD Arena on November 21, 2019 in Charleston, South Carolina. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
CHARLESTON, SC – NOVEMBER 21: Omar Payne #5 of the Florida Gators takes a foul shot during a first round Charleston Classic basketball game against the Saint Joseph’s Hawks at the TD Arena on November 21, 2019 in Charleston, South Carolina. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

No. 5 Forward/Center

  • Starter: Omar Payne – 4-star

And now we get to the No. 5 spot. This is the most up-in-the-air position as of right now. Kofi Cockburn still hasn’t cemented his decision on the NBA, but I am going with the assumption he isn’t coming back. That would leave Omar Payne as the starting center for the Orange and Blue.

Payne is a serviceable big man who entered the college ranks as a four-star and ranked in the top 50 nationally in 2019. He joined the Florida program but didn’t develop in the Sunshine State. After two lackluster seasons with the Gators, Payne decided to take his talents to Illinois. Payne’s averages aren’t good, but I do think there is talent there. His best game with Florida last season was against Georgia where he had 10 points and 9 rebounds. I want that out of him in 2021-22.

  • Backup: Coleman Hawkins – 3-star

I think one of the biggest questions this season for the Illinois basketball team is who will be the backup at the No. 5 spot? I could see Coleman Hawkins filling this role and potentially getting a large number of minutes.

Brad Underwood has shown he doesn’t go with a traditional lineup you would have seen in the 1990s. He is willing to go small or go with a forward at the No. 5 spot. I think Hawkins could end up coming in for Payne and being in a timeshare with the Florida transfer. This would give Illinois a lot of flexibility with the lineup. Hawkins is going to be an important piece to Illinois’ success this season.

Top 5 Illini wing-forwards of the 2010s. dark. Next

  • Backup: Brandon Lieb – 3-star

Much like Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk, I don’t see Brandon Lieb playing much in 2021-22. He joined the Illini program a couple of years ago, but his minutes have been few and far between. The only time we should see Lieb is if Illinois is winning by a large margin.

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