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Illinois Basketball: Illini big man Kofi Cockburn declares for the NBA Draft

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, IL - NOVEMBER 20: Illinois Fighting Illini center Kofi Cockburn (21) stands on the court during player introductions before the start of the college basketball game between the Citadel Bulldogs and the Illinois Fighting Illini on November 20, 2019, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - NOVEMBER 20: Illinois Fighting Illini center Kofi Cockburn (21) stands on the court during player introductions before the start of the college basketball game between the Citadel Bulldogs and the Illinois Fighting Illini on November 20, 2019, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Big news just shook the Illinois basketball world on Tuesday afternoon.

Via his Instagram page, Illini big man Kofi Cockburn announced that he will declare for the NBA Draft. The post by Kofi thanks multiple people including the ones who helped him get where he is today. He also thanked Illini Nation for supporting him.

It has been a wild couple of years for Illinois basketball fans. We were able to land back-to-back solid classes that featured Ayo Dousnmu and Kofi. In the snap of a finger, it all could be gone. But it was an exciting and fun few months we got to witness this kid play basketball, though.

Kofi entered the Illinois program as one of the best players in the country. He was the No. 46 player in the class of 2019 and the No. 12 center in the nation. He committed to the Illini over UConn.


While with the Illini, Kofi was sensational. He broke onto the scene and just tore apart the competition from game one. He averaged 13.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game as a true freshman. Those are numbers that not many can match.

In addition to the great numbers Kofi was able to put up, he also helped the Illini get back on their feet. We hadn’t made an NCAA tournament in a half-decade. But, with the help of Kofi, we were going to be a top seven seed this year.

Sadly, we never got to see Kofi play in the postseason. The Coronavirus took that little glimpse of happiness and threw it away. It truly feels like Illinois fans can’t have anything nice.

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The IG post doesn’t say anything about hiring an agent or not, so there is always the possibility of him coming back. But I also got the vibes from the post that this is it and he is one his way the NBA. I wish the big man nothing but the best. He will always be loved.

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