Illinois Basketball: Projected Illini lineup without Kofi Cockburn

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WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – JANUARY 21: Illinois Fighting Illini forward Giorgi Bezhanishvili (15) high fives Illinois Fighting Illini center Kofi Cockburn (21) during a timeout in the Big Ten Conference college basketball game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Purdue Boilermakers on January 21, at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

The Illinois basketball roster took a big hit on Tuesday afternoon when Kofi Cockburn declared for the NBA Draft.

This declaration was a little shocking despite the fact he had a big year. For some reason, I wasn’t mentally prepared for Kofi to declare for the NBA Draft even though I always thought he should test the waters and get feedback on his game. But, when it happened, it shook me a little bit.

In some great reporting by Shannon Ryan of the Chicago Tribune, she talks with Kofi’s brother, Nagash, about Kofi declaring. Nagash says that Kofi plans to receive feedback and will then make a decision from there. This gives me a little more hope that the big man will return to Champaign.

But, as of right now, Kofi is no longer on the team. He has declared for the NBA Draft. Where does that leave the Illinois roster, though? Losing a once in a decade big man like Kofi is going to hurt any team. Illinois doesn’t have much in the way of his size or strength to fill that massive void either. But we have to move forward and make do with what we have.

Here is the projected Illini lineup without Kofi Cockburn.

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