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Illinois Basketball: Where does Kofi Cockburn rank among top 5 Illini center commits since 2000

By Rees Woodcock

MIDDLE VILLAGE, NEW YORK - APRIL 05: Dylan Cardwell #20 and Kofi Cockburn #21 of Oak Hill Academy celebrate against La Lumiere in the semifinal of the GEICO High School National Tournament at Christ the King High School on April 05, 2019 in Middle Village, New York. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)
MIDDLE VILLAGE, NEW YORK - APRIL 05: Dylan Cardwell #20 and Kofi Cockburn #21 of Oak Hill Academy celebrate against La Lumiere in the semifinal of the GEICO High School National Tournament at Christ the King High School on April 05, 2019 in Middle Village, New York. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) /
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ANN ARBOR, MI – DECEMBER 30: Nnanna Egwu #32 of the Illinois Fighting Illini listens during a timeout during the second half of a game against the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Arena on December 30, 2014 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan defeated Illinois in overtime 73-65. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI – DECEMBER 30: Nnanna Egwu #32 of the Illinois Fighting Illini listens during a timeout during the second half of a game against the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Arena on December 30, 2014 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan defeated Illinois in overtime 73-65. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /

5. Nnanna Egwu – Class of 2011 (4-star, #75 overall, .9700 rating)

The No. 5 player on this list is someone who made an impact on the Illinois basketball program and became a fan favorite quickly. That player is Nnanna Egwu. This kid had a solid athletic ability and great timing on defense.

Egwu was a 6-foot-10, 225-pound center from St. Ignatius High School in Chicago, Illinois. He was rated as a four-star recruit who was the No. 75 player in the class of 2011 and the No. 9 center in the nation. He was also the No. 9 player in the state of Illinois and had a class rating of .9700.

The defense that Egwu brought to the table set him apart from other Illinois big men. He was able to block shots at a clip that is rarely seen in the game of basketball. His best season with the Illini was his junior campaign where he averaged 6.9 points, 6 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game.

dark. Next. 3 effects of Ayo Dosunmu returning to the Illini

Illinois was only able to make the NCAA tournament one time in Egwu’s time with the program. He was a big piece to that Final 32 team that lost to Miami (FL) in John Groce’s first season. But the next two years weren’t good for the Illini. Egwu was always a solid player for this program, though.

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