Illinois Basketball: Dravyn Gibbs-Lawhorn Will Break Out

Illinois Basketball: Dravyn Gibbs-Lawhorn Will Break Out

Dravyn Gibbs-Lawhorn was an under-the-radar addition to Illinois Basketball. Gibbs-Lawhorn initially committed to Purdue, however, opened up his recruitment and ended up with Illinois Basketball. The commitment was announced in the midst of Illinois Football having their best stretch in over a decade and many fans overlooked the talented combo-guards commitment. During the early portion of his freshman year, Gibbs-Lawhorn showed explosive athleticism and scoring punch, however, showed that he needs to work on overall shot selection and defensive stability.

Though Dravyn did not see the floor a whole lot, he eventually earned the trust of the coaching staff down the stretch. He hit huge shots in close wins vs Indiana and Morehead State and seemed to be taking over Justin Harmon’s role.

Primed for Success

Justin Harmon is out of eligibility. Additionally, Luke Goode and Sencire Harris have decided to take their talents elsewhere. Though Illinois basketball has revamped its roster via the transfer portal, they still need some pretty significant perimeter help with the loss of Terrence Shannon Jr, Marcus Domask, and Coleman Hawkins. Gibbs-Lawhorn is one of two returning players on this roster.

That continuity should allow for the talented rising sophomore to play at least 18-20 minutes per game. For reference, Justin Harmon averaged 18.8 minutes per game. Without Luke Goode, Sencire Harris, and Justin Harmon, expect Dravyn to be the backup point guard and sparkplug off the bench. Given how hard the young man plays, expect some games where Illinois Basketball wins simply because of his intensity.

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