Final deadline

Cockburn, like all college and international basketball players, has until end of day on April 24 to declare for the 2022 NBA draft. Cockburn tested the NBA draft waters in 2020 and 2021 before opting to return to Illinois. The difference this year is his draft decision is final. “I think Kofi’s always in that mode of gathering information,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said last week on the Field of 68 podcast. “It’s a different game in the NBA. ... He’s got to make a choice. This will be his third time entering, and he can’t come back if he does make that choice.”

Draft chances

Cockburn’s name doesn’t appear on many mock drafts ahead of the June 23 draft. None of note, actually. The most positive ranking of Cockburn’s draft chances probably belongs to The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie, who has the Illinois center ranked as the No. 66 prospect on his draft board. The main issue with that is this year’s draft will last just 58 picks after the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat had to forfeit a second-round pick apiece for violating the NBA’s tampering rules in the pursuit of free agent guards Lonzo Ball and Kyle Lowry, respectively.

A different NBA

The NBA doesn’t value physically dominant post players anymore. The next three players Vecenie has ranked after Cockburn? Gonzaga’s Drew Timme (6-10, 235), Purdue’s Zach Edey (7-4, 295) and Fresno State’s Orlando Robinson (7-0, 235). Just three 7-footers were selected in the 2021 draft, and only second-round pick Neemias Queta, who has spent the majority of his rookie season in the G League, would be considered a traditional center like Cockburn. The other 7-footers selected were Evan Mobley at No. 3 and Balša Koprivica in the second round.

What a return means

Cockburn has little left to prove at the college level. He’s one of the best players in the game, and that won’t change next season. What Cockburn can do is cement his legacy as one of the best players ever at Illinois. Another year at his 2021-22 production levels would make Cockburn the Illini’s all-time leading scorer (he’s at 1,546 career points and needs 584 points to top Deon Thomas’ record of 2,129 points) and rebounder (he’s at 861 career rebounds and needs 163 rebounds to top James Augustine’s standard of 1,023 rebounds).

SergioNYK wrote:Coaches like D'Antoni and analytics ruined them.

That is absolutely not true. Amare was a center at 6’10 he used Capela in his system I wouldn’t say he didn’t use centers. He need a particular type of center that can face the basket rather than post a pick and roll center.

I woulda coughed Jokic too but sigh he is 6' 11". But was the 41st pick btw -- for the tank babies....

True there are fewer tru PG. They are “Great players/playmakers”. And yes, you need iso guys that are “unstoppable”.

SupremeCommander wrote:You know what I think it is? Shitty lazy coaching through out the sport. Tech these guys how to dribble, catch and shoot. Anyone I’ve ever played with that approaches that height was pretty much just coached to “hang out over there”

Maybe. Seems they are cloging up the lane. think of all the players in the world and if lucky 1% make it to an NBA roster. Your not inccorrect and the influx if international players now dominate the big man era.
Jokic, Embiid and Giannis! They all have different back grounds and base talents.
Dirk was never athletic and had to work his ass off to stay on the court as he did.

Chet Holdgrem is the next up unicorn.

Cuz they in Philly?