By IlliniGuys Staff

May 27, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

Heralded freshman Quentin Coleman won't have much downtime before heading to the Illinois campus for summer workouts.

The Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year is one of 12 players named this morning to the 2026 USA Basketball Men's U18 National Team. He becomes the first Illini picked for the squad since then-incoming freshman Ty Rodgers played for the team in the summer of 2022.

Coleman will continue to train with the team at its Colorado Springs, Colorado headquarters until heading to Mexico to compete in the 2026 FIBA U18 Men's AmeriCup, which runs June 1-7. The team is coached by Dayton head coach Anthony Grant and assistant coaches Matt Langel of Colgate and Alabama's Nate Oats.

Team USA will open play against Argentina next Monday at 7:30pm ET and will try to improve on a 14-1 record against the South American country. USA Basketball has won 11 gold medals in 13 iterations of the event.

Coleman is coming off a stellar high school career in which he led Principia to a combined 60-3 record with back-to-back state championships over the last two seasons.

Illinois head coach Brad Underwood had high praise for him last month, saying "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. 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."

IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst Kedric Prince cautioned Illini fans who may have the same expectations for the 18-year old as last year's super freshman Keaton Wagler, who will be an NBA Draft lottery pick next month, but understands the comparisons.

"I know he’s not Keaton Wagler, but his game mirrors his. He has unbelievable shooting range and is very athletic. If he lives up to his billing, Brad Underwood will have a hard time keeping him off the floor", Prince said.

The tournament will stream live on YouTube.com/FIBA.