UNC Named As A Team to Watch For Top Transfer

UNC has some buzz for one of the best transfers out there.

North Carolina has been named as a team to watch in the recruitment of Coleman Hawkins. After four years at Illinois, Hawkins entered the NBA Draft and put his name into the transfer portal in case he came back to college. At 6’10, 225 pounds, he could play the wing-forward role that Harrison Ingram was in and even some small-ball center.

What’s The Word?

CBS Sports Analyst Matt Norlander was recently discussing the future options Hawkins, who was originally thought to be staying in the draft process. Now, it sounds like that decision is in the air. Norlander said, “Coleman Hawkins, it sounds like that is Arkansas, (North) Carolina, Louisville, Kansas State, there could be others. He will command a very, very high NIL price. He really does want to go the NBA route, but I’d say the buzz on Hawkins at this stage is more likely than not that he would return to college, although no sure thing.”

Perfect Fit?

The transfer portal hasn’t seemed to work out like UNC wanted it to. The Tar Heels have missed on a number of prospects and are looking to replace two incredible players in Harrison Ingram and Armando Bacot. Hawkins would be a perfect fit to do a bit of what those two left behind. He played a lot of center at Illinois, but is a bit of a tweener and could be perfect in the hybrid-forward role. This season, in 31.6 minutes per game, Hawkins averaged 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists. He is able to step out and knock down threes as well, shooting 36.9% from behind the arc.

Hawkins could be the perfect fit for North Carolina.