During the David Mirkovic and Andrej Stojakovic podium session at Big Ten Media Days, the two Illinois basketball players were asked who the biggest trash talker is on the team. Quentin Coleman and Jake Davis, they responded.
Yes, Quentin Coleman, the freshman guard who will play his first real competitive collegiate minutes in the season opener on November 2nd, when the Illini host Fairleigh Dickinson.
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He may only be a rookie, just beginning his college career, but he already has the swagger. This 5-star frosh is a 6’4″, 180-lb shooting guard from St. Louis.
A first-team MaxPreps All-American, he was ranked No. 13 nationally by 247Sports, No. 15 by Rivals and No. 23 by ESPN, leading up to a No. 17 ranking by 247Sports Composite and No. 23 by Rivals Industry.
“High-level competitor,” Illini coach Brad Underwood said of Coleman. “He’s got a great motor. I love that about him. He has been maybe better than advertised as a shooter. I’ve been very pleased with his ability to shoot off the bounce.
“He’s just getting better every day. He’s gained weight. He’s gotten stronger. I think those are all the natural things that young guys need to do.”
Quentin Coleman, as of right now, has the highest NBA Draft stock of anybody on this Illini team. He might even go in somewhere in the top ten overall.
This naturally invites Keaton Wagler comparisons, given how he was a one-and-done last season, going fifth overall to the L.A. Clippers. Underwood says this comparison is apples to oranges though.
“He had different things,” Underwood said of Wagler. “They’re completely different players.
“I think his shooting has grabbed my attention. I think defensively, he’s in a pretty good place. Sometimes too aggressive. We got to tamper that down at times, but there’s not been a whole lot that has surprised me, but I do think he’s got a bright future.
And it’s now just the natural progression that goes with a buildup.
Coleman said he was nervous after the first exhibition game of the season, a 105-96 win at Cincinnati.
It didn’t really show, as he still put up 14 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds. Yes, it’s only an exhibition, but coming close to a triple double in your very first game, and doing so in spite of the nerves, is very impressive.
Starting small forward Andrej Stojakovic is also very impressed by Coleman.
“The energy he plays with has been impressive for a freshman,” Stojakovic said.
“His willingness to win, his crashing the glass, his doing the little things as a freshman at a higher rate has been very promising for us to see.
“But as a highly recruited freshman, obviously he’s going to have a certain level of expectations for himself, and obviously some added pressure that he’s applied to himself, but we just want to be there for him when times aren’t as sweet as everybody wants them to be.
“So he’s going to continue to grow. He’s going to continue to play with a lot of aggressiveness, and we’re just glad for him to be on the team.”
Purdue coach Matt Painter also took note of Coleman.
“The kid from St. Louis is a fabulous player,” he said.
“Quentin Coleman, played really good for USA; did some really good things. And so, you bring in that young player that can beat you off the dribble, can score the basketball.”
The preseason AP poll came out on Monday, and Illinois is ranked #3. Also, the AP preseason All-American first team came out on Wednesday night, and Mirkovic made the cut.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.