Illinois Basketball: Fighting Illini will go far with Kofi Cockburn in 2019-20

Kofi Cockburn is a freshman center that will be paving the way for Illinois Basketball this upcoming season. He is a player you don’t want to miss out on.

When you look at Oak Hill Academy (VA) varsity basketball 2018-19 roster many people by default think of Cole Anthony, the rising point guard star looking to lead the University of North Carolina in his freshman season and is rumored a potential NBA lottery pick. But you should not make this mistake of overlooking Illinois Basketball freshman Kofi Cockburn, because he is a force of energy waiting to be unleashed.

Ranked as a four-star top-50 recruit in the nation according to 247sports (Kofi Cockburn) and listed as the12th best in his position for his class by ESPN, he will be the driving power of this Fighting Illini team. Kofi received offers from Kansas, Oregon, Indiana, Virginia Tech, LSU and twenty-five other Division I programs. The University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana (UIUC or U of I) hasn’t had a player of his size and ranking since Meyers Leonard who joined the program back in 2010 and was drafted by the Portland Trailblazers with the 11th overall pick.

That says a lot.

Cockburn is an aggressive beast in the paint with a weight of 290 pounds. He can overpower almost any defender in his way. With his 7’3 wingspan and athletic prowess, he is able to swat shots ferociously and also able to dunk in a vehement fashion. With soft hands, quickness, and post moves he is able to finish at the rim on either side often drawing contact and still finishing.

Coming off a dismal 12-21 record, the Fighting Illini have a lot to prove but they can prove it with Cockburn.  The U of I has not succeeded past a .500 Big Ten record since the 2009-10 season but this year could be completely different. Kofi averaged 14.8 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks in 19.6 minutes per game as the third option on a loaded NBA-caliber talented Oak Hill Academy team. He will make an immediate impact defensively for the Illini but it is very premature to determine whether Kofi will be the primary offensive candidate in Brad Underwood’s fast-paced position-less style offense. But you can expect a lot of easy baskets coming his way.

In addition, Brad Underwood has done a great job putting together this competitive team and is entering his third season as the head coach of the Fighting Illini. Brad Underwood also has a phenomenal track record in his previous four years of head coaching at Southland and Oklahoma St.; making the NCAA Tournament each year and conquering a 109-27 record before being hired as Illinois’ head coach. Coach Underwood looks to make a promising change to the U of I’s dreadful drought of NCAA Tournament no-shows and was put in this position for that sole reason.

The University of Illinois will be led in the backcourt by sophomore guard Ayo Dosunmu, from Morgan Park High School in Chicago, Illinois. Kofi will be an excellent compliment to Dosunmu and could make for a talented duo. Dosunmu enumerated higher expectations for the U of I after being recognized by many as the sole shining star on the team, averaging 13.8 points and 3.3 assists.

Dosunmu was named to the Big Ten all freshman-team last year in a loaded Big Ten Conference. Illinois also has junior guard Trent Frazier and sophomore power forward Giorgi Bezhanishvili returning this season, both of whom averaged 13.7 and 12.5 points per game respectively. The Fighting Illini’s starting five looks to be healthy and solidified.

Moreover, As a team that hasn’t made an NCAA Tournament appearance since 2013, Illinois looks to be heading in that direction this year. Stealing key games against tough opponents (#13 Maryland and #9 Michigan State) last year during the Big Ten conference schedule, the Fighting Illini have potential to really shock a lot of teams and fans in the 2019-20 season.

With their soft schedule in November, expect U of I to have some leeway when they begin Big Ten Conference play in January. However, they will do more than breakeven.

The season is approaching fast, and Illinois Basketball are destined as one of the top teams in the Big Ten; more than likely banking 20-plus wins, an above .500 Big Ten record, and being right in the race to make an NCAA Tournament appearance. With a talented freshman like Cockburn on the roster, they are definitely the “sleepers” of the Big Ten.