Writing Illini
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Illinois Basketball: Rerating every Illini recruit from the 2010s

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, IL - MARCH 08: Kofi Cockburn #21 of the Illinois Fighting Illini breaks up a scuffle between Da'Monte Williams #20 of the Illinois Fighting Illini and Connor McCaffery #30 of the Iowa Hawkeyes during the game at State Farm Center on March 8, 2020 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - MARCH 08: Kofi Cockburn #21 of the Illinois Fighting Illini breaks up a scuffle between Da'Monte Williams #20 of the Illinois Fighting Illini and Connor McCaffery #30 of the Iowa Hawkeyes during the game at State Farm Center on March 8, 2020 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – JANUARY 21: Illinois Fighting Illini center Kofi Cockburn (21) reacts after dunking the ball during 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) /

2. Kofi Cockburn (Old: 4-star/0.9818 – New: 5-star/0.9917)

The Illinois basketball team made it back to the NCAA tournament this season only to have it canceled. One of the big reasons the Illini were able to get back to the postseason was largely due to the emergence of big man, Kofi Cockburn.

Kofi was a 6-foot-10, 290-pound center coming out of Oak Hill Academy and residing in Mouth Of Wilson Virginia. He was rated as a four-star recruit who was the No. 46 player in the class of 2019 and the No. 12 center in the nation. He also had a composite rating of 0.9818.

The first year for Kofi was sensational. He was incredible from game one. This kid has everything you would want in a player and more. Kofi finished his freshman year averaging 13.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. These numbers had NBA scout’s ears perked up.

After the season abruptly concluded, Kofi decided to test the NBA waters. He declared for the NBA Draft but didn’t sign an agent. Thanks to everything going on in the world, the timeline for pulling your name out of the draft was pushed back into August. So, Kofi’s time in Champaign might not be done yet.

Regardless if Kofi ever suits up for Illinois again, he will go down as one of the best players I have ever seen for this program. He entered college as a four-star with a rating of 0.9818. I would adjust that to a five-star with a rating of 0.9917. I would love to see him play another year or two for the program.

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