Gonzaga, New Mexico earn visits from Illinois State transfer Deontae Hawkins

GLENDALE, AZ - APRIL 03: Head coach Mark Few of the Gonzaga Bulldogs looks on in the first half against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the 2017 NCAA Men's Final Four National Championship game at University of Phoenix Stadium on April 3, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

One of the best remaining immediately eligible transfers on the market, the Illinois State Redbirds’ Deontae Hawkins could be choosing a school soon.

Deontae Hawkins, who could be the top remaining transfer on the market, will make an immediate impact on any team he ends up choosing for the 2017-18 season.

Hawkins averaged 14 points and 6.5 rebounds per game over 27.3 minutes per game last season with Illinois State and never averaged less than 22 minutes per game in his three years playing with the Redbirds.

The 6’8, 220-pound forward out of Dayton, Ohio will visit both the Gonzaga Bulldogs and the New Mexico Lobos.

Illinois State grad transfer Deontae Hawkins tells me he will visit both New Mexico and Gonzaga. Immediately eligible.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) July 17, 2017

Last season, Gonzaga would make it to the National Championship game but fall to the North Carolina Tar Heels, providing Bulldogs’ coach Mark Few with his first trip to the Final Four and National Championship. This season, the team loses several key pieces but should still be a powerhouse in the West.

New Mexico, on the other hand, went 17-14, finishing in the middle of the Mounting West table. A new coach brought on a plethora of transfers and the Lobos will head into the 2017-18 season in the midst of a rebuild.

St. Mary’s looks to contend with Gonzaga at the top of the West Coast Conference this season, and a player like Hawkins could immediately change the balance of power in the WCC. His scoring and rebounding ability would be highly coveted by Few and Co., and his size would help enormously on the defensive end.

While I believe New Mexico has a shot, Hawkins would probably find himself with a chance to go further in the NCAA Tournament next season with Gonzaga, earning himself a better look when it comes to the 2018 NBA Draft or even a chance to play overseas.