Jalen Coleman’s recruitment sped up very quickly over the past few weeks – and then suddenly ended on Tuesday when the four-star guard announced his commitment to Illinois. 

Notre Dame seemed like the favorite for Coleman coming out of the summer, but the Fighting Irish landed a commitment from shooting guard Rex Pflueger after he and Coleman both visited South Bend.

UNLV then seemingly had the edge, but after visiting Las Vegas, Coleman pushed his official visit to Illinois up a week. There were a lot of moving parts during September, but the pull from the Midwest school was too much and Coleman will be heading to Champaign in 2015-16.

Coleman is Illinois’ third commitment for the class of 2015, joining wings Aaron Jordan and D.J. Williams.

The file on … Jalen Coleman

  • Height: 6-foot-4
  • Weight: 175 pounds
  • Position: Combo guard
  • Ranking: No. 33 in 247Sports Composite for class of 2015, No. 7 point guard.
  • High School: La Lumiere School (Ind.)
  • AAU: All Ohio Red
  • Stats: 14.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 46.7 3-point percentage

How he fits at Illinois

Coleman is one of the best shooters in the senior class, and his ability to knock down perimeter shots will boost Illinois’ backcourt right off the bat. He shot 50 percent from behind the arc during the EYBL regular season, including four games in which he knocked down at least five 3-pointers. Coleman has a very smooth release and can make shots off the catch-and-shoot or off the dribble. Moreover, Coleman improved his game as his high school career progressed, rounding out his point guard skills to become more of a threat with the ball in his hands. He showed more playmaking ability at the LeBron James Skills Academy than we’ve seen from him in the past. He’s not just a shooter, either, as he can get to the rim and finish if the defense is playing him close.

Illinois is loaded on the perimeter for the upcoming season, but two of its potential starters – Rayvonte Rice and Ahmad Starks – will be gone after the 2014-15 campaign. Seton Hall transfer Aaron Cosby will still be around, as will point guard Tracy Abrams, though Abrams will miss the entire season with a torn ACL. Sophomores Jaylon Tate, Kendrick Nunn and Malcolm Hill are also on the roster. The aforementioned 2015 wings -- Jordan and Williams -- will be joining Coleman. It will be interesting to see how Coleman fits, given all perimeter options, but his shooting and scoring ability will enable him to push for a starting job.

What it means for Illinois’ class

Going by Illinois’ scholarship chart, it seems Coleman is the 12th scholarship for the Fighting Illini in 2015-16. Starks, Rice and Nnanna Egwu will leave after the season, but Abrams’ injury and subsequent return mean John Groce and Co. have one left to give. As a result, Illinois is not done in the 2015 class -- and the Illini are not just gunning for one more player.

The biggest storyline to follow as a result of this commitment will be Illinois’ pursuit of Jawun Evans. One of the best point guards in the class of 2015, Evans was a main target for Groce. However, with eight perimeter players on the 2015-16 roster and Coleman now in tow, it will be interesting to see how it impacts.

Likewise, Evans is very close with borderline five-star big man Elijah Thomas, who recently visited Illinois. The Fighting Illini are among the favorites for Thomas, but he has talked in the past about playing with Evans in college. Can Illinois still reel in both Evans and Thomas? If Evans doesn’t want to go to Illinois, can the Illini get Thomas on his own? Keep an eye on this moving forward. Groce is expected to conduct an in-home visit with Evans on Tuesday. A future backcourt of Evans and Coleman would be outstanding.

Four-star center Doral Moore has also set an official visit to Illinois for later this month, while five-star forward Carlton Bragg has the Fighting Illini in his final five schools.

Which school loses the most?

There was really only one other school in contention for Coleman down the stretch, at least once Notre Dame landed Pflueger. UNLV was in the mix until the very end, but the Runnin’ Rebels will have to look elsewhere to boost their backcourt for the 2015-16 season. They will lose Cody Doolin, Jelan Kendrick and possibly Jerome Seagears after the upcoming season. In other words, UNLV needs guards.

Canadian wing Jalen Poyser is high on their list, as is point guard Justin Robinson. It will be difficult for the Runnin’ Rebels to pull Robinson away from the East Coast, but Dave Rice and his staff are certainly trying. Moreover, the Runnin' Rebels are always active in the transfer market and could make a move for one or two in the spring. This is the second week in a row UNLV lost out on a four-star guard, with Eric Davis choosing Texas last Tuesday.