Kansas basketball star Hunter Dickinson takes shot at Coleman Hawkins and K-State

In the new era of college basketball where NIL and the transfer portal have become so prevalent, Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks have landed some terrific players on the open market. However, none can compare to the caliber of Hunter Dickinson, who was arguably the most highly coveted player to hit the portal in NCAA history when he transferred out of Michigan.

The two-time All-American is gearing up to compete for a national title in his final year of eligibility. But a little over an hour away in Manhattan, Kansas, head coach Jerome Tang and his staff are looking to build on a disappointing finish to the 2023-24 campaign. The Wildcats hosted Illinois transfer Coleman Hawkins on an official visit over the weekend and are considered major players in the race to land him, but Dickinson added fuel to the fire in the in-state rivalry between the two schools.

Jayhawks star Hunter Dickinson adds fuel to Kansas, K-State rivalry

Is this an attempt to recruit Hawkins over to Kansas, or was Dickinson just looking to start some issues on social media with the Wildcat faithful? We’ll never know, but we’re all for drama and angry K-State fans on Twitter. Keep it coming!

Hawkins began his college career the same year as Dickinson, and they competed in the Big Ten for three years before the big man took his talents to KU. Illinois was among the many fanbases with disdain for Dickinson, who often made himself the villain of several schools in the conference. The two players have likely spoken on numerous occasions.

During his first year at Kansas, Dickinson and the Jayhawks fell in overtime to K-State when the two teams met at Bramlage Coliseum. KU later got its revenge in Allen Fieldhouse with a blowout victory, and fans rejoiced when the ‘Cats were left out of the NCAA Tournament on Selection Sunday before subsequently losing in the first round of the NIT.

Dickinson could very well meet with Hawkins next year if he commits to KSU, and he’ll be greeted with a loud stream of boos when the team travels to Manhattan. However, if there’s one thing Kansas supporters have learned during Dickinson’s time in Lawrence, it is that he embraces the hate and is not afraid to talk trash.