The senior transfer is one of 12 players in the Big 12 on the list.
MANHATTAN, Kan. (K-State Athletics) – Senior transfer Coleman Hawkins has been selected to the Watch List for the 2024-25 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Men’s College Player of the Year presented by AXIA Time on Wednesday (October 30) by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.
Hawkins was joined on the Watch List by 11 other players in the Big 12, including Arizona’s Caleb Love, Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe, Norchad Omier and Jeremy Roach, Houston’s L.J. Cryer and J’Wan Roberts, Iowa State’s Tamin Lipsey, Kansas’ Hunter Dickinson, Dajuan Harris Jr and AJ Storr and West Virginia’s Tucker DeVries.
This is yet another preseason honor for Hawkins, who was selected as the Preseason Big 12 co-Newcomer of the Year and to the All-Big 12 Second Team by the league coaches on Oct. 10. He was the first Wildcat to be chosen as the Preseason Newcomer of the Year in the 27-year history of the league and the fourth to be chosen for a preseason player honor.
It marks the second consecutive season that a Wildcat has been named to the Naismith Trophy Watch List, as then senior Tylor Perry was selected to the 2024 list.
Former Wildcats Keyontae Johnson and Markquis Nowell were not named to the preseason team but were among 28 players selected to the 2022-23 Naismith Player of the Year Midseason Team, while Johnson was one of 10 semi-finalists for the award.
Hawkins was a Second Team All-Big Ten selection in 2023-24 after averaging a career-high 12.1 points per game for the Fighting Illini while posting career-bests for field goal percentage (45.1), 3-point field goal percentage (36.9) and free throw percentage (79.2). He is the only player in Illinois history with at least 900 points, 500 rebounds, 200 assists, 100 blocks and 100 steals.
Hawkins enjoyed a solid debut for the Wildcats in the 70-56 exhibition win over Division II Fort Hays State on Tuesday night, as he posted 13 points on 3-of-7 field goals, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range, to go with a team-high 6 assists, 7 rebounds and 2 steals in 32 minutes.
K-State will officially tip off the season on Tuesday, Nov. 5 against New Orleans at 7 p.m., CT.
Season tickets for the 2024-25 season are still available, with prices starting at less than $18 per game. Fans can purchase now to see the Wildcats all year by visiting www.kstatesports.com/tickets or calling (800) 221.CATS.
How to follow the ‘Cats: For complete information on K-State men’s basketball, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team’s social media channels on X, Instagram and Facebook.
