NCAA Basketball: 10 teams that should target Illinois transfer Kofi Cockburn
Villanova Wildcats
The Wildcats are one of just a few programs among the top conferences to not take in a single transfer this offseason. And they really didn’t have to. They returned a ton of talent and production from last season, including getting a 5th year from Co-Big East Player of the Year Collin Gillespie and having quality guards Justin Moore, Caleb Daniels, and Bryan Antoine.
The only question on the roster is at the center position now that Co-Big East Player of the Year Jeremiah Robinson-Earl went pro. If Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree can’t get healthy or incoming four-star freshman Nnanna Njoku can’t be an impact player early on, that spot could limit the team’s ceiling, which right now is Final Four or better. If they were to land Cockburn, this would be the preseason No. 1 team in the country and favorite to win it all.
Virginia Cavaliers
The best versions of Coach Tony Bennett’s teams at Virginia always have an elite rim protector at center. That’s a bit of a question for next season, now that Jay Huff has moved on. The current big men on the roster, Francisco Cáffaro, and Kadin Shedrick aren’t proven so there would be some concern about how effective they’ll be. And if the defense lags for the Cavaliers, it could really affect them in the win-loss column.
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After also losing double-digit scorer Trey Murphy to the NBA Draft this past week, this is a team that could use some scoring as well. Cockburn can give the Cavaliers between 15-20 ppg while providing quality defense and his presence alone would elevate the supporting cast. The Illinois big man can play in a fast or slow-paced offense but few head coaches are as good as Tony Bennett when it comes to development. One year with him could turn Cockburn into a true NBA Draft prospect, along with competing deep into March.