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In declaring again this year, Cockburn chose to forgo his remaining college eligibility and go all in on the NBA. The rule does not apply in the NCAA where Kofi can sit in the paint for the full defensive possession if he chooses to. Baylor transfer Dain Dainja should help with frontcourt depth for next season as well, and Cockburn's official departure may give Underwood and his staff the green light to go after bigs in the transfer portal. Koloko is one of the best defensive centers playing college basketball. I dont want it to be misconstrued when reading this next paragraph because Kofi has improved and has feel and touch around the basket. Cockburn needs a chance. Despite most, if not all, NBA mock drafts having Kofi not getting selected in the first or. Since Michigan coach Juwan Howard took over at his alma mater in 2019-20, he has beaten every Big Ten team multiple times except the one that represents the Chicago native's home state. Cockburn would be a perfect fit for the Warriors to run a four out, one in offense. The Bulls have the 18th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft . This is a ranking (not a 'mock-draft'). 12 min read. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Dont worry, its not all Texas teams! Im always betting on myself, he said. While the Illini fan base was understandably sad to see him depart, Cockburn was able to leave Champaign as a Big Ten champion. Contact . I can adapt to whatever environment you put me into., Former University of Illinois big man Kofi Cockburn on his experience at the NBA Draft Combine. PER. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. NBA. He would likely sign on with a team and play in the G League. By James Kim, Assistant Sports Editor June 23, 2022. Its about long-term success, he said. 2022 NBA Draft scouting report for Illinois C Kofi Cockburn, Tennessee Tech forces OT in OVC championship game [VIDEO]. Cockburn, a 7-foot center, declared for the draft after his junior season at Illinois. While he does not fit extremely well in todays NBA, he could still be useful as a high-energy piece who will throw down thunderous dunks and use his massive body to back down any defender. Kofi Cockburn declares for 2022 NBA Draft: Illinois star big man forgoing remaining eligibility to enter pros Cockburn is putting two toes into his pursuit of a professional career. Illinois star big man Kofi Cockburn, a two-time consensus All-American with the Fighting Illini, announced Wednesday he will forgo his remaining college eligibility and is entering the 2022 NBA Draft. Looking a little more spry as his frame improved away from the rim, Cockburn nonetheless remains dramatically more comfortable guarding inside than chasing opposing big men outside of the paint. He knows what kind of guy I am, Cockburn said of Dosunmu. Cockburn is a dominant big man who stepped all over the Big Ten for three years. Tankathon. If he plays and develops in the G League, its possible he finds his way into the NBA and plays rotation back up big minutes in the regular season for a few seasons, but the upside for Kofi Cockburn in the NBA isnt there. Throw him the ball and its like hes Clifford Franklin of the movie The Replacements with stick-em on his hands. Whether due to injuries or due to guard dominance we have not seen a big man take over in Dallas. He is a great college player, his game may not translate to the NBA. Electing to return as a junior this past season, he put up career numbers by averaging 20.9 points and 10.6 rebounds a game and helped the Fighting Illini claim the co-regular season championship in the Big Ten. And I cant put a price on my dream. Carrying a heavy shot creating burden when he was on the floor, Cockburn was the focal point of the Illini offense. We break down Illinois C Kofi Cockburn with a scouting report and outlook heading into the 2022 NBA Draft. And Im coachable. Player Rankings updated 16 days ago | Draft Order updated after every game. It's really not that complicated: The crux of the problem for the Hawkeyes was that Kofi Cockburn was in the building. Always liked Bruce as a coach and as a man. This post originally appeared onRookie Wire! Measured standing 70 in shoes with a powerfully built 293-pound frame and a 74.25 wingspan at the 2022 NBA Draft Combine, Cockburn is one of the largest players in the sport even after shedding some weight over his three collegiate seasons. The NBA Draft is nearing, and the Illinois basketball team is looking to get a player selected for the second-straight season. Kofi is an old school big man who acts as an enforcer inside. Maybe more so a dream for Illini Fans, but the pair of Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn would be an excellent source of advertising for the Bulls. And who knows? Scoring. There are many different ball screen coverages for a center. For Illinois, it's a crushing loss to a team that was already set to turn over quite a bit of its roster this offseason. Cockburn seems to be embarking on his professional career with the proper attitude one that former college stars could struggle with when jumping to the NBA. In putting the NBA on hold last year, Cockburn was considered one of college basketball's most dominant returning bigs and established himself as exactly that. Points. "To play in the NBA has been a longtime dream of mine and I truly think it's time for me to take that next step," he said on Twitter. This is why you NEED to draft Kofi Cockburn! Cockburn, who was a. If you are a fan of Illinois and Kofi Cockburn, this may be a question you have asked yourself. Apr 20, 2022 Two-time All-American Kofi Cockburn will leave Illinois after three seasons to enter the 2022 NBA Draft, he announced on social media on Wednesday. 2022.12.24 22:28 Gigastorm55 The Fandom Wiki gives very interesting informations about the game. What that means to me is that Kofi is a bubble player when it comes to getting selected. He is the author of "100 Things Thunder Fans Should Know And Do Before They Die." I have met him several times and he was a top notch person. With Greg Popovich seemingly staying another year, who better to help Kofi Cockburn utilize his skills than the man who coached Tim Duncan. Team needs are factored into the mock and simulations. Cockburn came to Illinois as a four-star recruit and continued to improve each year. Still, despite stardom in college, how high he goes in the draft -- if at all -- is a separate question entirely. Averaging 20.9 points and 10.6 rebounds over 30.7 minutes per game as a junior despite facing constant double teams, the 22-year-old big man earned Consensus All-American first-team honors as he carried the Illini much of the season. NBA Draft 2022. He measured at 70, 293 lbs. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. He just wants to land with a team that wants him and one he can help. Try a week on us. Former Illinois center Kofi Cockburn was among the draft-eligible prospects to work out with the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, the team announced. Its going to be difficult for him having to defend in space in the NBA against better talent. Im going to have to find my role, playing defense, talking, bringing positive energy and rebounding.. Win Shares. Coach Brad Underwood and staff have seemingly prepared as well as possible, though, with a current top-10 incoming recruiting class led by five-star guard Skyy Clark and four-star recruits Ty Rodgers, Jayden Epps and Sencire Harris. All the nostalgia for Illinoians topped off with the ability of a paint presence which the Bulls currently lack, seems like the perfect fit. Without NIL, Kofi would be gone, playing in the G League or Europe. This is my greatest concern for Kofi Cockburn in the NBA where a center is constantly defending ball screens. Making major progress with his game in the summer before his freshman year, he averaged 13.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game as a true freshman under coach Brad Underwood at Illinois. The NBA Draft is quickly approaching, and there are some former Illinois basketball players who have their name in the mix. While Kofi may not be able to fill all of it, he certainly could fill a portion of it. Ranking among the most productive back to the basket scorers in the country and facing as many double teams as nearly any player over the last decade, the massive big man imposed his will on opposing centers down low. 6-keys: media/spln/collegebasketball/reg/free/stories, at The concern is there. "I will be putting my name into the 2022 NBA Draft and signing with an agent.". So he just said, Show that stuff because that carries over just as much as anything else.. We havent even gotten to his defense. Its also important, Cockburn said, for him to show his personality, his infectious ear-to-ear smile, his unwavering positivity and his penchant for taking charge. 2023 Mock Draft; 2024 Mock Draft; Consensus Mock Draft; My Mock Drafts; Create Your Own Mock Draft; . At the bare minimum, Cockburn could be a developmental center that eventually will be in charge of handling all of the paint and rebounding duties. There are a couple of reasons why I think Kofi could potentially get picked in the NBA Draft. . Position: F. Height and weight: 6-foot-10, 235 lbs. All Rights Reserved. Follow us onFacebook! Every year, two of the most interesting takeaways. 1 overall pick. Rebounds. With that in mind, we give you the best bet options for a big Saturday slate. Prior to The Oklahoman, Darnell covered the University of Akron men's basketball, preps and recruiting at the Akron Beacon Journal. Mid range shooting? Kofi Cockburn starred at Illinois, earning two All-American nods with the Fighting Illini. I would like to take this time to dive in deeper on why Kofi Cockburn can be the possible best player in college, yet likely not get drafted. Additionally, Cockburns role in putting Illinois basketball back on the map has already ensured that his jersey will hang from the rafters of State Farm Center. Final deadline. Full schedule, bracket for 2023 Big East Tournament, Full schedule, bracket for 2023 Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament, Full list of every automatic bid into 2023 NCAA Tournament, Full schedule, bracket for 2023 SEC Tournament. Every player is better. As the first month of 2022 comes to a close, college basketball starts to get really exciting now. A two-time consensus All-American, Cockburn proved to be a major presence in the paint during his three seasons in Champaign. You'll find a full breakdown of what players are deciding. Similar to his earlier mock draft at the beginning of June, Givony projects the AP First-Team All-American to land at No. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. Highlights: Illinois' Kofi Cockburn Declares for the 2022 NBA Draft | Big Ten In the NBA Draft Watch on Granted, in the second round teams should be taking riskier picks with high.