Illinois Basketball Duo Invited to Combine

What Happened

As the offseason has gone along, there has been speculation on the futures of Coleman Hawkins and Terrence Shannon Jr. Both have eligibility remaining and would be fixtures in the starting lineup should they return. At the same time Shannon Jr. will definitely get picked in the draft, and Hawkins could very well play himself into a less tenuous draft position. As proof of their standing with NBA scouts, both received invites to the NBA Combine. There are two combines, a G League Combine and NBA Combine. 78 players received an invite to the NBA Combine. You can do the math, while an invite is certainly a positive sign it is by no means a guarantee. Last year Matthew Mayer attended the NBA Combine before withdrawing and transferring to the Illini.

What Will Happen

The two Illini will get measured, interview with teams, and compete in drills and scrimmages from May 15-21. If you want to tune in, there will be TV coverage on ESPN2 and streaming on the NBA App. The decision for both will likely come shortly after this period, and their performance will likely either solidify them leaving college, or returning to Champaign. As mentioned above, Shannon Jr. is a mainstay on just about every mock draft. He is an NBA level defender and athlete, and proved his ability to play on the ball for a guard-deficient team last year. His shooting dropped off, but in the NBA his shot selection would be greatly simplified. Hawkins is also an NBA level athlete and defender. However, I’d guess the NBA really needs to see more from him offensively to draft him.

What It Means

As with just about every accomplished player pondering the jump from college to the pros, NIL will impact this decision. Both should command a decent number there, as Shannon Jr.’s Chicago roots and All-Big Ten campaign last year makes him an easy sell. Hawkins is also a crowd favorite, paying his dues for two years before taking on a starring role this year. Hawkins has especially increased his stock with the Orange and Blue with his offseason social media defenses of the program, and general hijinks. Illinois is a known force in the NIL market and should be able to make it worth both their while monetarily to return. The basketball fit will also need to be right. If they return, they would probably like to be in a better spot next year at this time. Illinois securing a veteran floor general would help.

While it doesn’t provide any serious predictability for either’s decision, this news does give a decent timeline.