Illinois Basketball: Predicting starting lineup/depth chart for 2021-22 season
By Tommy Farmer
Starter: Jacob Grandison
Backup: Coleman Hawkins
The four is another spot where Coach Underwood has the flexibility of doing a lot of different things. Last season, the Illini surged following the insertion of Jacob Grandison into the starting power forward spot. At 6’6”, Grandison is on the smaller side for the position but never has seemed hindered by his size. He provides quality shooting, defense, and versatility for the Illini.
Because of his impact on winning last season while in the starting lineup, I expect him to begin the season there. He’s also coming off a stint with the Finnish national team this summer, which could have only helped his game.
With that being said, Coleman Hawkins has the most upside out of anyone looking for potential minutes at the four. The 6’10” sophomore from Sacramento moves like a guard and can do it all. He struggled to find consistent minutes last season, but I expect him to be a key contributor now, having a year of experience under his belt.
Even without playing much, he cemented himself as a fan favorite through both his selflessness and his online personality. Hawkins and Hutcherson are the two biggest keys in discovering just how high this team’s ceiling is.