Illinois Basketball: Predicting the 2020-21 Illini most valuable player
By Collin Allen
The Illinois basketball team’s season begins this Wednesday, but who will be the team’s most valuable player for the 2020-21 campaign?
Illinois star players Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn will both be returning to the Illinois Fighting Illini this season after initially declaring for the 2020 NBA draft. Along with Dosunmu and Cockburn, the Illini have a few other key returnees, such as guards Trent Frazier and Da’Monte Williams, as well as forward Giorgi Bezhanishvili.
Additionally, the Illini have a very talented incoming freshman class, which includes guards Adam Miller and Andre Curbelo, as well as forward Coleman Hawkins.
All of these players have the potential to make great impacts for Illinois this season. However, I believe the team’s most valuable player award will ultimately come down to three of these players.
Let’s take a look at our three candidates.
No. 1: Ayo Dosunmu, JR, G
This list would be invalidated if I didn’t include the Illini’s go-to player for the 2019-20 campaign. Last season, Dosunmu averaged a team-high 16.6 points per game, along with 4.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per contest.
Additionally, the then-sophomore guard came through in the clutch on multiple occasions last season, including last-minute shots vs. Northwestern, Wisconsin, Michigan, Penn State, Indiana, and Iowa.
Dosunmu has been given much national attention this offseason, as he has been included on the
, the
, and was just recently named an
.
Look for Dosunmu to be the team’s go-to player again this season.
No. 2: Kofi Cockburn, SO, C
Kofi Cockburn is coming off an exceptional freshman season where he averaged 13.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per contest. This includes a 22-point, 15-rebound performance at Purdue.
Cockburn’s dominant freshman season earned him some honors, as he was recognized as the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and the Fox Sports Freshman of the Year.
Like Dosunmu, the seven-foot big man was also named to the Naismith Award watch list. To go along with that, Cockburn was named to the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year award watch list.
Cockburn has the potential to be not only the best big man in the country but potentially the best player in the country this upcoming season.
No. 3: Adam Miller, FR, G
The No. 1 recruit for this incoming freshman class will be making his Illini debut this week. Adam Miller, who is the former Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year, averaged 23.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists his senior season at Morgan Park High School.
Miller will be bringing a dynamic skillset to the Illini this season, as he is not only a prolific scorer, but he is an exceptional passer as well. Not only will the freshman guard start day one for the Illini, but he could very well become the team’s most dynamic player considering his talent and potential.
Look for Miller to put his dynamic skillset to good use with a potential breakout freshman season.
Next. 4 observations from the Illini win over Nebraska. dark
Prediction
I predict Ayo Dosunmu will be the Fighting Illini’s MVP this upcoming season. Dosunmu has his mind set on leading his team to a national championship victory, as he said in his return announcement. He will be this team’s go-to player in crunch time and will continue to deliver positive results, bringing plenty of excitement to Champaign.