Ad Disclosure
Will he return? Illinois star Kofi Cockburn sets decision date on NBA future
Published:
Illinois basketball star and All-American Kofi Cockburn has set a date for his upcoming decision — whether to return to Champaign or to head to the NBA Draft.
Tuesday afternoon, Cockburn tweeted out that he’ll be making his announcement on Wednesday, April 20. His return would be a huge boost for Brad Underwood and the Fighting Illini heading into the 2022-23 season.
Announcement tomorrow 🙏🏾
— King Kofi (@kxng_alpha) April 19, 2022
Cockburn was an All-B1G and All-American pick this past season after averaging a double-double. He posted 20.9 points and 10.6 rebounds per contest while shooting over 59% from the floor. The 7-foot center helped lead Illinois to a share of the B1G regular season title.
Illinois also made a trip to the NCAA Tournament and reached the Round of 32. Cockburn scored 36 points and collected 21 boards in two games in March Madness.
By the end of the season, Cockburn tallied 17 double-doubles. He scored in double figures in every game and exceeded the 20-point mark in 15 contests. He scored a season-high 38 points in a win over Texas-Rio Grande Valley and collected a season-best 18 rebounds twice.
Over his three-year career in Champaign, Cockburn is averaging 17.2 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. He’s appeared in 90 total games with 87 starts.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB