Now or never. Now or never. Now or never.
Those three words would not leave Coleman Hawkins' mind. Locked in on pursuing his dreams and taking his game to the next level, Hawkins submitted his name into the 2023 NBA Draft with the intention of hearing his name called on draft night and becoming a professional basketball player.
Announcing his decision on March 28 to enter the NBA Draft while maintaining college eligibility, Hawkins seemed destined to leave Champaign after spending three seasons with the Orange and Blue, a career that included three NCAA Tournament appearances, a Big Ten regular-season title, and a conference tournament championship.
After much thought and consideration and assessing all of his options, Hawkins decided to "run it back" and return to Illinois, the place he called home for three years. While he received lots of positive feedback from NBA teams, he ultimately realized he had unfinished business and wanted to play for head coach Brad Underwood once again.
"There was a little voice in my head questioning if I was ready to give my life up, take that next step, and make basketball my life," Hawkins said. "That's where my head was at. I was deciding whether or not I wanted to come back for one more year and try to move up in the draft, or if I wanted to stay in there, work my way up, and depending on the contract I got, work super hard, try to impress scouts, and do whatever I had to do."
Like Hawkins, Terrence Shannon Jr. also entered the 2023 NBA Draft, choosing to take the next step after spending one year at Illinois. A Chicago native, Shannon returned to his home state after three seasons at Texas Tech, amassing consensus All-Big Ten honors following the 2022-23 campaign.
Admittedly thinking he had played his last game in State Farm Center last season, Shannon is excited to suit up and represent the Fighting Illini in his fifth year of college basketball.
"It means a lot to be here. It's my home state," Shannon said. "I fell in love with Illinois. It's always good to represent something that means a lot to you."
Hawkins and Shannon announced their respective returns within hours of each other on May 31, the last possible day to withdraw from the draft. Despite the coordination, the pair says they did not communicate much during the process, choosing to let things play out separately.
With a comfortable living situation, state-of-the-art facilities and resources, and a familiar coaching staff, Hawkins knew coming back to Illinois for a fourth season was the right choice for his short-term and long-term success as he continues to chase his dreams of playing in the NBA.
"I'm able to play another year here for Illinois with a great fan base, try to make history, and win the Big Ten again this year. There's a lot of stuff that people still haven't seen from me, too," Hawkins said. "It's my last dance. I can leave it all out there, try my hardest, and get that love and appreciation from the fans. It's kind of like a farewell tour. People have been thankful that I came back, and hopefully they're thankful when I leave."
Shannon, a unanimous preseason All-Big Ten honoree, cites the opportunities to improve his in-game IQ, decision making, consistency, and outside jumper as some of the biggest benefits to returning to the Orange and Blue. Wanting to build his draft stock and assert himself as one of the top players in the 2024 NBA Draft, Shannon earned a spot on the Jerry West Award watch list, which honors the top shooting guard in college basketball.
Putting together the best statistical season of his college career during the 2022-23 campaign, Shannon will play a big role in Illinois' quest to return to the top of the Big Ten and make a run in March.
"Everything happens for a reason," Shannon said. "I felt really comfortable with coming back and putting myself in a better position."
As Hawkins and Shannon prepare for what could be their final season at Illinois, the Orange and Blue begin their 2023-24 regular-season campaign on Nov. 6.
It is now or never for Hawkins and Shannon to leave their mark in Champaign as they look to make a statement after returning to Illinois for one more year.
"I want to be someone who is remembered not only for their playing style or what he's done on the court, but someone who's a great character off the court," Hawkins said. "I want to be someone where a fan can say, 'Yeah, I remember Coleman Hawkins. He was a great guy. He was never negative. He was always positive.' I want to be someone who's known for their character. That's a big thing for me."
