Illinois Basketball: A thank you to the Illini players who are leaving the program

Kofi Cockburn

And last but not least, I get to the big man. The monster in the middle. The king. It is extremely sad that this era is coming to an end, but we have likely seen the last of Kofi Cockburn in an Illinois jersey.

Man, I remember when Kofi first committed to the Illini. I obviously was pronouncing his name wrong until I heard it for the first time, but this kid was a monster coming out of Oak Hill. I thought this was the turning point for Illinois basketball, and that is exactly what ended up happening.

Kofi was a sensation from the first second he stepped into the State Farm Center. He has been a force that I have never seen before for the Illini and probably won’t see after he leaves either. Kofi was a special player for the Orange and Blue.

Each season Kofi was with the Illini, he improved his game. He clearly worked on the craft and put in the work to get better. By the end of his career, he would average 17.2 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game.

Every season he was with the Illini, Kofi would lead the program to the NCAA tournament, a top 25 ranking by season’s end, and to the Round of 32 in the final two years. Literally, the only thing that could stop Kofi from playing in the NCAA tournament was a worldwide pandemic.

Kofi gave Illinois a presence in the paint we had been missing for years. He was the driving force behind making this program relevant again. Honestly, a thank you isn’t enough for what Kofi did for Illini fans. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything, King Kofi. You are going to get your name in the rafters. This program wouldn’t have been the same without you.