Kofi Cockburn returns to Illinois

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#251      
You could say the same about Kofi - no real offensive game aside from dunks, no real jump shots

Payne is able to stretch the floor a lot better. I wouldn't sell the guy short so quick. He's also not a black hole like Kofi where once the ball is in his hand, if he doesn't score - it's gonna be a turnover - no assist.

He may have just needed a new scene. I wish him nothing but the best. He seems like a solid guy from interviews. The whole elbow thing doesn't define him. We're all fortunate we aren't in a career where were constantly videotaped for all to bring back our mistakes.
Disagree with this. Kofi has some solid post moves around the basket with nice foot work. Hopefully this year he will improve is passing out of the post.
 
#253      
Kofi returning is awesome. Huge for our 21-22 team potential....but bigger for his Illini legacy.

Kofi's improvement and standing next year in NBA wrt development and his NIL success this year will set Significant Illini benchmarks for future high level recruits...

So I see Kofi return as a huge opportunity for the Illini coaches, AD staff and fanbase...but also "pressure is on" for staff and Illini nation...

I see these as targets...

1. deliver on Team success potential...potential target: at least Elite 8

2. deliver on player development...potential target
A. Kofi and AC 1st round NBA candidates.
B. player on B10 all D team
C. B10 freshman of year competitor

3. deliver on NIL for players..
Potential target..., see AC at 500k+ revenue and Kofi at 1M+ revenue and a competitive NIL for other players (see Miami concept)


From Spiderman/Uncle Ben...
"With great power comes great responsibility.”
 
#254      
If Plummer doesn’t start my money is on him. Hutch, Coleman, DMW, even one of the Freshmen are easy to imagine. I also think Hawk will beak out. What a f-ing day man.
Surprising statistic.... Hawk had more blocks per minute than Kofi last year! Would love to see him have a breakout season!
 
#255      
You could say the same about Kofi - no real offensive game aside from dunks, no real jump shots

Payne is able to stretch the floor a lot better. I wouldn't sell the guy short so quick. He's also not a black hole like Kofi where once the ball is in his hand, if he doesn't score - it's gonna be a turnover - no assist.

He may have just needed a new scene. I wish him nothing but the best. He seems like a solid guy from interviews. The whole elbow thing doesn't define him. We're all fortunate we aren't in a career where were constantly videotaped for all to bring back our mistakes.

Kofi was 2nd team All American at 17 and 10 a game...He is 7 foot and 300 lbs. He actually has produced. Which obviously I know you know, bur how can you even compare them?

How do you know Payne can stretch the floor? In two years he has taken 0 three pointers and I won't lie and say I have watched every Florida game, but at 3 PPG it doesnt seem like he was a huge mid range threat.

How do you know he's not a black hole? He had 16 assists in 2 years. Kofi had 5 which is horrible, and also why he didnt get drafted, but he obviously is capable of scoring on the block, something we have no idea if Payne can do.

I never said the elbowing incident defined him, I just said it was another thing on top of his failed development and lack of playing time that should give you pause about it.

You might be right. A change of scenery might do wonders, but I'm certainly not concerned as much about how he feels about playing time after bringing Kofi back.
 
#256      

APS iMBA

Urbana, IL
I think Payne is starting to get a bit overrated already...

Payne was not good at Florida. Its not like you got some kid who was coming off of a great season who you expect to be a double double machine.

He averaged 3 points and 3 boards and couldnt crack the starting rotation after being a highly touted recruit, and obviously, just being a top 60 recruit doesnt guarantee you anything. I never had high hopes for him in the first place, other then being a good defensive big who could catch lobs.

Even his early tape shows no real offensive game aside from dunks, no real jump shot yet, and a questionable IQ, not to mention the whole elbow fiasco.

Im not here to just rag on the kid, but if he has a problem with the best big in the country coming back to school to take his minutes, then I don't know what to say.

Every time his name comes up this basically comes to mind. I hope he is being developed by our staff, but prior to Kofi I remember us having big guys that weren't dominant and transferred out eventually.
 
#257      
Kofi returning is awesome. Huge for our 21-22 team potential....but bigger for his Illini legacy.

Kofi's improvement and standing next year in NBA wrt development and his NIL success this year will set Significant Illini benchmarks for future high level recruits...

So I see Kofi return as a huge opportunity for the Illini coaches, AD staff and fanbase...but also "pressure is on" for staff and Illini nation...

I see these as targets...

1. deliver on Team success potential...potential target: at least Elite 8

2. deliver on player development...potential target
A. Kofi and AC 1st round NBA candidates.
B. player on B10 all D team
C. B10 freshman of year competitor

3. deliver on NIL for players..
Potential target..., see AC at 500k+ revenue and Kofi at 1M+ revenue and a competitive NIL for other players (see Miami concept)


From Spiderman/Uncle Ben...
"With great power comes great responsibility.”
I like the way you are thinking! B10 freshman of the year is unlikely though. I don’t see those guys getting many minutes. The team is way too deep.
 
#258      
As elated as we are about Kofi, there's still one absolutely enormous hole to fill. Replacing Ayo will have to be done on the aggregate. His knack for taking games over late, hitting key free throws, etc....will be difficult and as we sit here today, it's still a question mark. It's the difference between a preseason rank of 15 vs 2. I don't think he's wrong in questioning that.
Totally agree with this. People point to the team’s record when Ayo was hurt, but that occurred late in season when team had its identity already and had the whole “rally around/do it for Ayo while he’s hurt” scenario as well as the us against the Big Ten thing with the whole standings:regular season controversy. Yes, they can make up Ayo’s statistics, but that is probably the easiest part. This was Ayo’s team last year and he had some games where he willed them to win. Sure AC has the talent to make this his or his and Kofi’s team, but for that to happen goes beyond stats and even AC’s performance.

I don’t get caught up in pre-season rankings and have no idea if right now there are 2 or 14 or 23 teams that on paper look better than the Illini. Without looking at every potential contender, 10-15 seems like a fine pre-season ranking. Illini have the talent to contend for and win a national title. But still have to evolve and gel as a team to make that happen. A pre-season ranking or proclamations on a fan forum about that ranking being too low will have no effect on how team finishes in tourney. Living up to the EveryDayGuys moniker and grabbing hold of this year’s identity and running with it. Gonna be a fun season.
 
#259      
Totally agree with this. People point to the team’s record when Ayo was hurt, but that occurred late in season when team had its identity already and had the whole “rally around/do it for Ayo while he’s hurt” scenario as well as the us against the Big Ten thing with the whole standings:regular season controversy. Yes, they can make up Ayo’s statistics, but that is probably the easiest part. This was Ayo’s team last year and he had some games where he willed them to win. Sure AC has the talent to make this his or his and Kofi’s team, but for that to happen goes beyond stats and even AC’s performance.

I don’t get caught up in pre-season rankings and have no idea if right now there are 2 or 14 or 23 teams that on paper look better than the Illini. Without looking at every potential contender, 10-15 seems like a fine pre-season ranking. Illini have the talent to contend for and win a national title. But still have to evolve and gel as a team to make that happen. A pre-season ranking or proclamations on a fan forum about that ranking being too low will have no effect on how team finishes in tourney. Living up to the EveryDayGuys moniker and grabbing hold of this year’s identity and running with it. Gonna be a fun season.
I think AC and Trent will backfill Ayo....

I'm actually more concerned/ interested in Giorgi impact...he was a key contributor on court but his personality and joy for game was unique and had immeasurable impact on the locker room... CH, your table is set on and off court.
 
#260      
The team cannot force it into Kofi next year. He will get his points and rebounds but it needs to come in the flow of the game. He will get doubled most nights and he will need to evolve as a player. There will be some interesting big men match up in the Big Ten this year.
 
#261      
The team cannot force it into Kofi next year. He will get his points and rebounds but it needs to come in the flow of the game. He will get doubled most nights and he will need to evolve as a player. There will be some interesting big men match up in the Big Ten this year.
I fully believe if Kofi can simply show a big improvement in passing out of the post and a minor improvement in free throws and he will be a first rounder. If he can quickly recognize the double team and make a quick pass out to the open man he will make any offense unstoppable.
For us specifically, our potential improvement in overall shooters would make our offense even greater than it should be.
 
#262      
As elated as we are about Kofi, there's still one absolutely enormous hole to fill. Replacing Ayo will have to be done on the aggregate. His knack for taking games over late, hitting key free throws, etc....will be difficult and as we sit here today, it's still a question mark. It's the difference between a preseason rank of 15 vs 2. I don't think he's wrong in questioning that.
100%….I think we can do a good job replacing Ayo’s production for the first 38 minutes of the game. But his consistent clutch scoring late in games will no doubt be the hardest void to fill.
 
#263      

Wokker

"The Good Land", WI
seeing a november game scheduled at marquette when i live in milwaukee
Get Hyped College Sports GIF by NCAA March Madness
Same!!
 
#265      
Nice 83-84 reference! (My favorite Illini team ever!)
Mine also with my previous favorite player (now it is Trent Frazier) Quinn Richardson. Never played for Illinois until 1983-84 and we should have been in the final 4.
Anyone remember we played the same UK team that the refs and Rupp gave the final 4 to in Champaign on Christmas Eve in Champaign. In that game the weather was so bad the refs could not make it to the game. So we had high school refs/coaches ref the game. Charlie Due (my HS PE teacher) reffed that game. I think we lost to UK by 4?
One of the best Illini teams few know much about IMO.
 
#266      
Where does on buy a navy Cockburn jersey?
I’ve used a website called DHgate. It’s *replicas* from *China* but the quality is actually pretty good. Myself and friends have ordered lots of stuff off of it for different teams. They have orange and white Kofi, Ayo and lots of other players on there.

The shipping is fairly inconsistent. Sometimes it shows up in 3 weeks sometimes it takes a few months. It’s been better lately though.
 
#267      
Mine also with my previous favorite player (now it is Trent Frazier) Quinn Richardson. Never played for Illinois until 1983-84 and we should have been in the final 4.
Anyone remember we played the same UK team that the refs and Rupp gave the final 4 to in Champaign on Christmas Eve in Champaign. In that game the weather was so bad the refs could not make it to the game. So we had high school refs/coaches ref the game. Charlie Due (my HS PE teacher) reffed that game. I think we lost to UK by 4?
One of the best Illini teams few know much about IMO.
Charlie Due? much better than Cabutti!! But Stewart was the gold standard for PE...
 
#268      

sacraig

The desert
I’ve used a website called DHgate. It’s *replicas* from *China* but the quality is actually pretty good. Myself and friends have ordered lots of stuff off of it for different teams. They have orange and white Kofi, Ayo and lots of other players on there.

The shipping is fairly inconsistent. Sometimes it shows up in 3 weeks sometimes it takes a few months. It’s been better lately though.
I'll bet my beach house that Kofi gets no royalties off of "replicas from China."
 
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