According to multiple reports, Kofi Cockburn will not be returning for another year in Champaign.
The Illini big man declared for the NBA Draft on April 18, but signed with a NCAA-approved agent and maintained his amateur status. After testing the waters, sources said Cockburn decided to stick in the draft.
Sources indicate that All-Big Ten Kofi Cockburn @kxng_alpha will not be returning to Illinois. Cockburn, the consensus 2nd-team All-American C, will remain in the 2021 NBA Draft. #Illini https://t.co/rQojpqfxki
— u212f u212f (@Andrew__Slater) May 27, 2021
As much as Ayo Dosunmu helped the Illini get back on the map, Cockburn’s dominance has been as big a factor as any in the Illini winning the most games in the Big Ten over the past two seasons.