Quentin Coleman has wasted no time looking like the real thing for Illinois.
The 6-foot-4 guard from O’Fallon, Illinois, by way of Principia High School in Missouri, is already flashing the kind of all-around game that makes coaches trust a freshman early and often. Through two official games and three preseason outings, he’s shown he can score, defend, rebound and create for others without needing the ball to dominate every possession.
The easiest place to start is the jumper. Coleman has a smooth, confident stroke and can hurt defenses both off the catch and off the dribble.
His step-back is already part of the package, and coach Brad Underwood encourages it. A 35-38 percent clip from three feels like the right range for him this season.
He’s not just a perimeter threat, either. Coleman has a midrange game, though Illinois’ offense is built more around threes and shots at the rim, so that piece may stay in the background.
What stands out even more is how dangerous he is when he attacks the basket. He has a quick first step, enough craft to get where he wants, and the athleticism and body control to finish through traffic or above it.
The part of his game that’s moving fastest might be his passing. Coleman is learning to drive hard while still keeping his head up, and that’s opening up teammates when defenses collapse. He’s also become the kind of passer who can make plays after leaving his feet, which fits the way Illinois spaces the floor and places players in specific spots on drives.
His defense is right there with the offense. Coleman plays with a relentless edge, brings energy on the ball, and has the intelligence and work ethic to become even better away from it. He may already be the best rebounding guard in the country as a freshman, which says plenty about how much he’s impacting games beyond scoring.
The numbers back it up. Coleman has 32 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists and two turnovers, along with four steals, through two official games. He struggled badly in the opener, then bounced back with an 8-for-9 shooting night against Penn.
He also pulled down at least seven rebounds in all three exhibition games, a sign that his presence on the glass isn’t a fluke. Even if the shot goes cold, his defense, rebounding and passing should keep him on the floor.
Before the opener, Underwood said, “Q’s a guy that wouldn’t shock me, at some point, if he has a triple-double. He’s a guy that can score it.
He’s learning to become a great player, in terms of making others better around him. Rebounds the basketball, ultra-competitive - I mean, a fighter.
He has one speed, and it’s full speed.
With David Mirkovic out, Coleman is probably already Illinois’ best player. Once Mirkovic is healthy, he’ll be the team’s go-to offensive option and a preseason All-American for a reason.
But Coleman’s value is obvious right now, and it goes far beyond points. On the nights when everything clicks, he has a chance to be the best player on the floor no matter who’s across from him.
In Other News...
Illinois Just Exposed A Bigger Nebraska Problem Than One Loss
Nebraskas loss to Illinois did more than knock the Huskers back in the standings. It pushed the program into a full reset on offense, with the school parting ways with offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen after the defeat and opening the door to bigger questions about how the unit has been built and managed.
Matt Rhule now has to steady a team sitting at 5-4 and figure out where the next wins are coming from with the schedule tightening up. The issue is no longer just one bad performance against Illinois, but whether Nebraskas leadership can make the kind of adjustments needed to keep the season from slipping further away. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Walks Into A Texas Tech Test That Could Get Uncomfortable
Texas Tech has opened the season with two wins and now gets a far bigger measuring stick, with No. 3 Illinois coming to town in a game that should tell both teams plenty about where they stand early. The Red Raiders are already dealing with frontcourt absences, which puts extra pressure on players like Bassala Bagayoko and Darrion Williams to help hold things together inside while the rest of the roster tries to match Illinois size and depth.
The more intriguing part may be on the perimeter, where Texas Techs Cruz Davis and Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn will be asked to keep pace with Illinois guards Quentin Coleman and Stefan Vaaks. With key big men unavailable on both sides, this one could tilt toward whichever backcourt handles the moment better and avoids the kind of stretches that can quickly make a high-profile nonconference game feel uncomfortable. [Read more 🡒]
Former Illini Adds A Dangerous Twist To Illinois Biggest Test
Illinois is getting ready for one of its biggest early tests against No. 16 Texas Tech, and the matchup comes with a familiar face on the other side. Former Illini guard Dravyn Gibbs-Lawhorn is now part of the Red Raiders rotation, adding a little extra intrigue to a game that already carries plenty of weight for Brad Underwoods team.
Underwood touched on Gibbs-Lawhorns scoring ability in his pregame press conference, and it is easy to see why Illinois would pay close attention. The question now is whether the kind of offensive success he showed at the mid-major level can hold up with the same consistency against high-major competition, especially in a game where every possession figures to matter. [Read more 🡒]