Big Ten Basketball: Illinois Center Kofi Cockburn Declares for 2022 NBA Draft
CHAMPAIGN, IIl. — Illinois junior center Kofi Cockburn announced his intentions to hire an agent and enter his name in the 2022 NBA Draft on Wednesday via social media.
The Fighting Illini star was a consensus first-team All-American last season and was the only player in the NCAA to average more than 20 points and 10 rebounds.
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Cockburn averaged 17.2 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per contest over the course of his college career at Illinois. The Kingston, Jamaica, native saw 28.3 minutes on the floor in his three years with the program.
"This journey has been a very special one," Cockburn wrote. "Never did I ever imagine being part of something so fun and extraordinary. So many people to thank but I don't know where to start, so many wonderful memories and bonds that I will cherish for a lifetime.
"I would like to thank my coaches, mentors, teammates and family for supporting me throughout this journey and offering unconditional love. I would also like to thank Illini nation for welcoming me with open arms and bringing that electrifying energy every game."
During the 2021-22 season, Cockburn put up 20.9 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. He was the only player to rank in the top 20 nationally in both scoring (11th) and rebounding (8th).
Cockburn led Illinois to a share of the Big Ten regular-season title and a trip to the NCAA tournament as a No. 4 seed. The team won a hard-fought opening round against No. 13 seed Chattanooga 54-53 before falling to No. 5 seed Houston 68-53 in the second round.
"Last but not least, I would like to thank God for blessing me with amazing opportunities," Cockburn continued. "And most importantly for giving me the chance to experience something so wonderful.
"To play in the NBA has been a longtime dream of mine and I truly think it's time for me to take that next step. With that being said I will be putting my name in the 2022 NBA Draft and signing with an agent."
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D.J. Fezler is a staff writer for BoilermakersCountry.com. Hailing from The Region, he is from Cedar Lake in Northwest Indiana and has spent the last two years covering Purdue football and basketball.