Ron “Chin” Coleman is in his fourth season as an assistant coach after joining the Fighting Illini staff in April 2017.
He works with the guards and has been instrumental in the development of Ayo Dosunmu. The point guard earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2020 after a dominant season where he averaged 16.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists and closed out a number of Illini victories with clutch shots in the final seconds.
Coleman came to Champaign after serving two years as an assistant at UIC under then-coach Steve McClain. The Flames were one of the nation's most improved teams in 2017, recording 17 victories to increase its win total by 12 over the previous season. While at UIC, Coleman helped recruit and mentor Dikembe Dixson, the 2016 Horizon League Freshman of the Year.
Prior to UIC, Coleman spent three years as an assistant at Bradley under then-coach Geno Ford, earning the title of assistant head coach in his final season of 2015.
Coleman entered the college ranks as an assistant for Tim Miles at Colorado State, helping the Rams to 20 wins and an NCAA Tournament appearance during the 2012 season. He then followed Miles to Nebraska, serving as director of player development before returning to his home state for the assistant coaching position at Bradley.
Before joining the profession at the collegiate level, Coleman coached one of the top AAU programs in the country, the Mac Irvin Fire, from 2005-11. He also coached at the prep level in Chicago, leading Benjamin Mays Academy before becoming associate head coach at Whitney Young.
"We're excited to have Coach Ron 'Chin' Coleman on board. He is a terrific young coach who has worked hard to earn his way up the ranks," Underwood said. "He has tremendous knowledge of the state of Illinois and city of Chicago, growing up and playing there, and then cutting his coaching teeth at the high school and grassroots level with the Mac Irvin Fire. He is a student of the game, a great teacher, and an outstanding asset for the University of Illinois basketball program and our players."
A Chicago native and graduate of South Shore, Coleman began his collegiate career at Weber State. He then transferred to Lamar where he led the Cardinals in scoring for three straight seasons, recording 1,316 points to rank 11th on the school's all-time scoring list.
Coleman earned a bachelor's degree in applied arts and science from Lamar in 1997.
Coleman and his wife, Angela, have a daughter, Rahni.
