Illinois sophomore center Kofi Cockburn intends to remain in the NBA Draft and forego his remaining eligibility, according to Andrew Slater.
The NCAA doesn’t require a player to declare his intentions until 10 days after the NBA Draft Combine, so there’s still time for a change of heart. That being said, Cockburn remaining in the draft pool would not come as a surprise. The 7-foot, 285-pound center was dominant at times for the Fighting Illini, and he averaged 17.7 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 65.4% from the field. The concerns here are that he’s more of a traditional post looking to move into a league that, in recent years, has become far more mobile at the center position. Defending in space, especially in ball-screen situations, is another area where Cockburn will need to show progress during the pre-draft process.
