Kofi Cockburn returning to Illinois for junior season
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Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports
Kofi Cockburn will be back in Champaign this fall, and he’ll have a chance to be the country’s best player.
The rising junior center announced on Friday that he intends to play for Illinois during the 2021-22 season. His decision follows months of doubt about whether he would ever play for the Illini again, after putting his name in the NBA Draft and later entering the transfer portal.
Nonetheless, Cockburn chose to return to Illinois rather than head to Kentucky — which now has two of Illinois’ formers assistants — or Florida State, a powerhouse for building big men.