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REPORT: Illini Center Jermaine Hamlin Enters Transfer Portal

Jermaine Hamlin has reportedly become the second player on the 2020-21 Illinois men’s basketball roster to put his name into the transfer portal.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Jermaine Hamlin has reportedly become the second player on the 2020-21 Illinois men’s basketball roster to put his name into the transfer portal.

According to verbalcommits.com, Hamlin has put his name into the portal after two seasons at Illinois that resulted in him getting on the playing floor for 24 career games but never seeing more than 10 minutes of action in a single game versus a Division I opponent.

During last season, Hamlin played in eight games while totaling eight points and three rebounds with his highlights being a pair of dunks in a 92-65 win over Minnesota on Dec. 15.

Hamlin follows freshman guard Adam Miller entering the transfer portal earlier this spring and puts Illinois currently at 12 scholarship players for the upcoming 2021-22 season.

Hamlin was present and introduced to the crowd Monday night for the Big Ten Tournament Championship banner unveiling ceremony during halftime of the Illinois football spring game.

Illinois Fighting Illini center Jermaine Hamlin (34) and Michigan State Spartans forward Aaron Henry (11) fight for a loose ball during the second half of a 2020 game at the Breslin Center. 

Illinois Fighting Illini center Jermaine Hamlin (34) and Michigan State Spartans forward Aaron Henry (11) fight for a loose ball during the second half of a 2020 game at the Breslin Center. 

The 6-foot-10 center from Lincoln signed with Illinois after averaging 13.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks while shooting 71 percent from the field as a senior to lead Lincoln (Ill.) High School to a 27-5 record, including an appearance in the IHSA Class 3A Sectional title game and Apollo Conference championship. Hamlin was named a third-team all-state selection by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association and an honorable mention all-state selection by the Associated Press.

Hamlin’s announcement comes just one day after Utah graduate transfer guard Alfonso Plummer announced his intention to play at Illinois next season and just three days after senior guard Trent Frazier announced he would be utilizing his fifth year of college basketball.

The following scholarship chart details where Illinois sits with its 2021-22 roster:

Seniors (2)

Trent Frazier - *Doesn’t count toward NCAA’s 2021-22 scholarship limit

Alfonso Plummer - graduate transfer from Utah

Juniors (2)

Jacob Grandison

Austin Hutcherson

Sophomores (2)

Kofi Cockburn

Omar Payne - transfer from Florida

Freshmen (4)

Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk

Andre Curbelo

Coleman Hawkins

Brandon Lieb

2021 SIGNEES (3)

Luke Goode

RJ Melendez

Brandin Podziemski

TBA

Senior guard Da’Monte Williams - *Doesn’t count toward NCAA’s 2021-22 scholarship limit

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