Kansas State’s Coleman Hawkins broke down in tears after his team’s 70-56 loss to Baylor in the Big 12 Tournament, ending their season. The senior forward admitted that criticism over his NIL deal, reportedly worth $2 million, affected his performance throughout the year. His emotional postgame interview quickly gained attention, sparking discussions about the pressures athletes face in the NIL era.
Here’s what Hawkins said, how his coach responded, and what this means for Kansas State moving forward.
Coleman Hawkins in tears after Baylor loss
Kansas State’s Coleman Hawkins became emotional after his team’s 70-56 loss to Baylor in the Big 12 Tournament on March 12, 2025, ending their season.
Hawkins, who transferred from Illinois after declaring for and withdrawing from the NBA Draft, finished with five points on 2-of-9 shooting and seven rebounds. Kansas State ended the season with a 16-17 record, and head coach Jerome Tang confirmed that the team is unlikely to participate in a consolation tournament.
Hawkins admitted that the backlash affected his performance after reportedly receiving $2 million in NIL compensation. “These guys haven’t experienced some of the things I’ve experienced. I really wanted to come in and impact the program. I’m sorry for crying, but s***, this s*** hurts.”
He continued, “I feel like I let a lot of people down. I feel like I did a poor job of letting people talk about me. It affected my play. It was happening all year. I wish I could just go back and block out everything, not for myself, but for the team so we could have a more successful year.”
Hawkins played at Illinois from 2020 to 2024, winning Big Ten Tournament titles in 2021 and 2024. He also led the team to the Elite Eight in 2024. This season, he averaged 10.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game. His numbers dropped from 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 1.1 blocks in his final year at Illinois. (via The Telegraph)
Coach Jerome Tang addressed NIL pressures. “I just feel like some of the advisors around these kids don’t understand everything you’re gonna have to deal with when you thrust them into a position where your salary is put out there.” (via The Sporting News)
Baylor (19-13) advanced to face No. 2 seed Texas Tech (24-7) in the next round of the Big 12 Tournament.
