Illinois Basketball: Projected Illini lineup with Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn

No. 5 Forward/Center

Starter: Coleman Hawkins

Illinois just doesn’t have a true Kofi Cockburn-like center on the roster who has proven himself as a starter. As of right now, I still think Coleman Hawkins would be the best option at the No. 5 spot for the Orange and Blue.

Hawkins is more of a No. 4, but he has the size at 6-foot-10, and his defense developed nicely toward the end of last season. A bonus for Hawkins starting at the No. 5 spot this upcoming season and into the future is that he can stretch the floor. He pulls other centers out of the paint because of his three-point shooting ability. That is going to help clear the way for Illinois’ guards to slash to the hoop. I think Hawkins is the No. 5 for the next couple of seasons.

Backup: Dain Dainja

There is always a chance that Dain Dainja molds into a starting center for the Illinois basketball program. He has great size at 6-foot-9, and he is built like Kofi. But we haven’t seen Dainja play in a game, and he couldn’t see the floor for Baylor when he was there.

I am going to slot Dainja in as the primary backup at the No. 5 spot for the Illini for the 2023-24 campaign. If he shows me he can be a starting center in the Big Ten, then there will be some adjustments. Until then, I think he is best suited as a backup to Hawkins.

Backup: Brandon Lieb

I doubt we see much of Brandon Lieb for the rest of his career. He has been a backup for the past couple of seasons, and that likely won’t change moving forward. Illinois will probably only use him in blowout situations.

Backup: Scholarship

After the commitment of Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, Illinois would be left with one scholarship. I think we should use that scholarship on a big man. It would be nice to free up Hawkins to play the No. 4 spot. I want to see another solid No. 5 for the Illini.