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  • Illinois' Brad Underwood Announces The Signing Of High School All-American Quentin Coleman

Illinois' Brad Underwood Announces The Signing Of High School All-American Quentin Coleman

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Basketball

Illinois head coach Brad Underwood announced Sunday the signing of High School All-American Quentin Coleman to a Big Ten Athletics Scholarship Agreement.

Coleman is a 6-foot-4, 180-pound guard from St. Louis. A first-team MaxPreps All-American and second-team Naismith All-American as a senior, Coleman led Principia School, under the direction of Coach Jay Blossom, to back-to-back Missouri Class 3 state championships with a combined 60-3 record. He also starred on the EYBL circuit with Bradley Beal Elite, winning the 17U Peach Jam championship.

A five-star recruit by 247Sports Composite, Coleman is ranked No. 20 nationally by Rivals, No. 30 by ESPN, and No. 34 by 247Sports, contributing to a No. 26 ranking by 247Sports Composite and No. 32 by Rivals Industry.

"Quentin is one of the most competitive players I watched in the Class of 2026. He is an elite competitor, so it's no surprise that winning is in his DNA," Underwood said. "He understands how to compete and play alongside other great players and elevate himself and his teammates. He did that in the EYBL with Brad Beal Elite, winning Peach Jam, and with Principia, winning two straight state titles. Quentin is obviously a gifted offensive player, scoring it at all three levels, and he will be an elite defender as well. We are excited about adding him to our roster; he is a great fit with our returning pieces."   

Coleman was named 2025-26 Gatorade Missouri Player of the Year and St. Louis Post-Dispatch All-Metro Player of the Year, and he repeated as Class 3 Player of the Year by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association (MBCA). He averaged 23.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.7 steals as a senior, shooting 64% from the field and 50% from 3-point range with four 30-point games.

Coleman led the Panthers to a 29-2 record and second straight state title, erupting for 50 points in the final on 18-of-21 shooting, the second-highest scoring performance ever in a Missouri state championship game. Following the season, he was selected to compete in The Jordan Brand Classic.

Coleman averaged 19.4 points as a junior, leading Principia to its first state title with a 31-1 record and garnering MBCA Class 3 Player of the Year and All-State honors.  

Coleman is the fifth player in the Class of 2026 to join the Fighting Illini, following November signees Ethan Brown, Landon Davis, and Lucas Morillo and April signee Zavier Zens.