Kofi Cockburn withdrawing from the NBA Draft

UPDATE

Kofi Cockburn spoke with ESPN about his decision timeline and possibly transferring to Kentucky.

All-American big man and arguably the best center in college hoops last season, Kofi Cockburn, will withdraw his name from the NBA Draft, according to multiple insiders.

Cockburn announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal just a few days ago, shocking the college hoops world after his dominating season at Illinois.

Kentucky is rumored to be a heavy favorite according to Jack Pilgrim and Aaron Torres of Kentucky Sports Radio.

Last season at Illinois, Cockburn averaged 17.7 PPG and added 9.5 boards per game, helping lead Illinois to a Big Ten Tournament title and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, only to get upset in the second round by Loyola Chicago.

Cockburn, no matter where he ends up, will make an immediate impact on whatever program he chooses to attend. And if it just so happens to be Kentucky, will elevate them to a top-3 team and a national title contender.

Cockburn’s recruiter at Illinois was Orlando Antigua, who has since made the move back to Kentucky with Chin Coleman alongside John Calipari.

Oh, and for what it’s worth, Cockburn posted a picture of himself in a blank jersey in his announcement today on Instagram, which doesn’t look good for his odds of returning to Illinois.

Buckle up, folks.

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