Strong disagree with the bolded. Improving Kofi's ability to pass out of the post and defend the perimeter and pick and roll would have absolutely made the team better, and I have to think BU & staff did work on that with him and would have continued to do so. I think the idea that Kofi's NBA readiness was at odds with the team's ability to win games is based on the mistaken assumption that Kofi's biggest weakness was lack of perimeter shooting.
2022 NBA Draft
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Is there is proof of Kofi saying this? This sounds like hot-take garbage, but if you've got the receipts, let's see them.
Goillinikobd
- Southeastern US
In 20 20 hindsight, you are probably right, but I think it is in the best interest for the Illini BB program to move on and adapt to a more current style of play, moving away from that style dictated by a once in a decade great, unique talent that was Kofi.
Passing out of the post wasn't really rewarded at this level. He was converting at a 60% clip even with all the attention he was receiving. Occasionally we would play a team that could frustrate him, but more often than not collapsing defenses didn't matter.
That’s true. And if you’re Brad and you have a human cheat code against 90+% of opponents it would be coaching malpractice not to use it.
I do think there is an alternate universe where Belo is healthy and we ball screen people to death. Payne has a better year in a role that suits him and plays 15+ mpg. With fewer minutes and less of an offensive load, Kofi is able to devote more energy to defense, rebounding, setting screens and catching lobs.
But the 4 out offense we ran probably didn’t do Kofi any favors from developing into a role NBA teams would value.
I will always be a Kofi fan, but can’t fault him for moving on and I am excited about the possibilities for next years team.
The beauty of this great game is that 'The Floor' is the Judge and Jury. Nothing else.
All the wondering and speculating and posturing and fortune-telling is fun. But that all determines nothing.
'The Floor' is all that matters. You show what you have on The Floor. Your strengths. Your weaknesses. Your 'intangibles'. Your Game Presence. All of it.
All any baller can ask for in this World is a chance to show what he's got and do it on the biggest stage that there is... roundball at the highest levels.
Ayo got that chance and is growing into a better player with each minute on the Floor.
Now, Kofi gets his chance. Whether this particular opportunity works out for him or not... he WILL get a chance to show what he's got in Today's Style of Game.
Just like in the business world... you enter that world as it exists today. Not as it was years ago. And you find your place in it... or not.
Whatever happens to King Kofi from this point is a bonus for Illini Nation. He's given us his heart and soul on the Illini floor. And we'll never forget that.
“My coach (Brad Underwood) is not coaching me in college basketball to send me to the next level, he is coaching me to win basketball games here,” Cockburn said. “In the future I will have the opportunity to show people what I am capable of doing– that I am capable of playing at the next level.”
Kofi Cockburn hoping to reunite with Ayo Dosunmu
Kofi Coburn is hoping to stay in the state if Illinois ideally playing for the Chicago Bulls but is open to possibly playing one more at Illinois.
fansided.com
Best of luck to Kofi.
“My coach (Brad Underwood) is not coaching me in college basketball to send me to the next level, he is coaching me to win basketball games here,” Cockburn said. “In the future I will have the opportunity to show people what I am capable of doing– that I am capable of playing at the next level.”
Kofi Cockburn hoping to reunite with Ayo Dosunmu
Kofi Coburn is hoping to stay in the state if Illinois ideally playing for the Chicago Bulls but is open to possibly playing one more at Illinois.
Kofi will be a case study for the future with the NIL. The question did Kofi going to the draft make a better long term decision or is a player like Oscar at UK, Timme, or TJD make a better decision staying and being the face of college basketball
I don’t know. I think Kofi would have been in the same situation if he would have stayed one more year because of what the NBA is looking for. Keep in mind Sharpe was a top 10 draft pick and didn’t play a minute last year
I don’t know. I think Kofi would have been in the same situation if he would have stayed one more year because of what the NBA is looking for. Keep in mind Sharpe was a top 10 draft pick and didn’t play a minute last year
I agree that Kofi probably doesn't get drafted after another season in college. If we're talking in purely financial terms though, whether he made the right call is going to be entirely dependent on whether he ultimately makes an NBA roster. If true that he turned down $1 million in NIL, and if he could have made another $1 million in NIL by staying his extra covid year, it could take 7-10 years to make that same amount of money ($2 mil) playing in G League and abroad (both options which still would have been available after exhausting college eligibility).
“My coach (Brad Underwood) is not coaching me in college basketball to send me to the next level, he is coaching me to win basketball games here,” Cockburn said. “In the future I will have the opportunity to show people what I am capable of doing– that I am capable of playing at the next level.”
Kofi Cockburn hoping to reunite with Ayo Dosunmu
Kofi Coburn is hoping to stay in the state if Illinois ideally playing for the Chicago Bulls but is open to possibly playing one more at Illinois.
oooops
For sure he was a victim of his own success. That said, I kinda wish he would have passed out because of what it would do for his development. I remember watching him early in the season hoping to see more passing from him, but he was still primed for abusing teams with his physicality.
For anyone wondering why Kofi wasn't drafted, I would say to watch Chet Holmgren's highlights at Gonzaga. Both are physical freaks, but have opposite skillsets in many ways. I still like Kofi's odds of getting to the league, but he's got a lot to work on.
He said something very similar in an interview last season. Didnt raise as many eyebrows as I thought it would when I heard it. "My coach isnt coaching me for the NBA" is close to what I remember. There was some context too but I still thought it was a little strange to say that out loud.
EDIT: I see a couple beat me to it with the exact quote. Should have read on before responding.
I hope Kofi shows out in summer league and makes the final roster.
He didn't get snubbed. Let me give you a perfect example of why he won't be even a mediocre center in the NBA right now.
One thing NBA teams like their big men to do is pass the ball. Kofi's passing and ball handling skills leave a lot to be desired. He's not gonna be able to bully ball like he did in college. The best center he faced in college was probably Luka Garza. And Garza is a bench player on the Pistons.
The only problem with that thinking is that most of the back-up centers in the league aren't gonna be 6'11'', 235-250 lb guys like he faced in college.
And as I mentioned on here yesterday, any decent opposing NBA coach is going to play transition game when Kofi comes in. He can't defend pick and rolls very well and he doesn't get up and down the court very fast. If he sticks on an NBA roster, the first thing the pro training staff is going to work on with Kofi is conditioning. And NBA conditioning is a completely different animal than what he would deal with in college.
Not really. 350+ D-I schools and talent over in Europe. You have to be in the elite of the elite to get drafted in the NBA with there only being two rounds in the draft (and with 2 less picks this year due to Milwaukee and Miami losing picks because of tampering issues last offseason). Large majority of the 2nd round guys are either long term developmental talents or draft-and-stash guys that won't come to the states for at least 2 or 3 years.
That narrative bothers me. Saying that they will put Kofi in the pick and roll. They do that to everyone in the NBA. They constantly switch to get the matchups they want. The Celtics kept trying to bury Curry and Thompson in the post for Horford to post up and show on. Kofi could do the same. Most teams have to play team defense because no one can really guard one on one. Kofi would force the defense to collapse in the paint leaving shooters open. Being able to shoot the 3 isn't for everybody. Golden state started driving more and win because Boston kept shooting them. You can't develop 7ft 285. 7 footers who play at the 3 point line negate their own size. That's why these guards grabbing double digit rebounds. Get your big self in the paint and defend and rebound and score.
I'd recommend watching the Salt Lake City Stars if you want to see Kofi play at all, especially after Summer League.
The incessant hoosierland crusade against Kofi having chance in NBA is not pleasant.
...maybe uphill but I believe Kofi will show well in Summer league and have better shot than you give him credit for.
LGIllini
- La Grange, IL
Okay, we get it. You don't have to be a jerk about it.
I'd love to see Kofi succeed and really hope he does.
But I'm also a realist that knows that Kofi has a long way to go before he is even a passable NBA center.
One of my favorite NBA draft sites has NBA comps for every player. Kofi's comp is Stanley Roberts. Stanley Roberts last played in the NBA in 1999 and last played professionally in 2004.
Not being a jerk, just realistic.
Homecoming 2019
- Chicago
The "I'm a realist" routine is getting tired. No one here knows the future, we are illini fans who love our guys, let's have some fun dreaming.
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