Kofi Cockburn: Illinois Powerhouse

Kofi Cockburn was the driving force behind the Illini this season. As an extremely decorated college athlete, does Cockburn have what it takes to make an imapct at the next level? 

If you would like to learn more about where Kofi Cockburn ranks on MIP 99, read more here! 

Bio and Measurables:

Strengths: The Illini big man is as physically imposing as a center to could get, at 7-0 285lb Cockburn regularly used his size and power to impact the game. With NBA level size, strength and power around the rim his entire game revolves around being bigger and stronger than the competition. He has solid leaping ability and can be explosive off the ground, either off two feet or running with his teammates in transition. Has a good understanding of how to file the lane, become a lob threat in the half court which is proof of his consistent rim running capability. Out of the pick and roll he can stop short allowing the guard to work toward the rim or push his way down to position himself in the post. The lob and pick and roll are both prime examples of his good hands and feel for when the ball is coming his way. As a post player Cockburn has a deadly drop step. It was his favorite move when he had position down low which helped get him open look from five feet or less. His greatest strength comes on both ends of the floor as an elite glass cleaner. With the ability to battle through traffic on both ends, gain position while rarely giving it up and clearing space with his body he is never truly out of a play when the ball is in the air. A put back threat on every possession down the floor Cockburn understands how to secure the ball on both sides of the floor. Expanding on his defensive ability, he is a good defender around the rim even if he isn’t a premier shot blocker. His size and power does deter drivers and challenges their otherwise clean looks around the rim. Cockburn can contest without fouling and has average lateral quickness with the paint. His ability to wall off smaller players coming toward the rim, specifically in the pick and roll has made a major impact in his career to date. 

Areas of Improvement: Even with all the size and power Cockburn has, he still has some significant areas of improvement before he gets into a consistent rotation. Most notably he has massive limitation on the offensive end of the floor and hasn’t shown much of any growth in developing his game for the modern NBA. He has no real offensive prowess outside of five feet and without range he relies almost too heavily on his drop step and power as his only offensive advantages. Without any other significant post moves to challenge defenders of similar size it is hard to imagine they won’t highlight it on the scouting report fairly quickly. A sliver of positivity is a jump hook he used rarely but the lack of consistency mitigates any hope he could use it coming into the next level. On top of these improvement areas his shot mechanics make it seem like he is just pushing the ball up there instead of sending something fluid toward the rim. It is more than likely if he wishes to develop further his entire jumpshot will have to be tweaked and rebuilt – essentially anything outside of five feet. Combine these offensive issues with his inability to navigate the ball outside of the paint, no real ball handling ability, he is loose with dribble handed and can’t take a player one on one outside to get to his spot. He is strictly a pick and roll big man with no current pop game. Extremely minimal playmaking ability and a lack of court vision makes it hard to navigate traps and additional pressure without turning the ball over. Found it hard to find the open man and seemed to turn the ball over against pressure he couldn’t muscle through, a challenge at the next level especially with the size of his matchups. The Illini big did improve his FT% but at his size and the rate he gets fouled he has been prone to leaving points on the board, only shooting 66% during his junior year. Overall as we have mentioned a major upgrade to his shooting mechanics is necessary. Hand placement, ball position and the fluidity of his upper and lower half are all aspects that will have to change to raise his offensive ceiling. Diving into these issues, it looks like his upper and lower half are working at two different paces. His guide hand on the side of the ball instead of pushing it from the back and he needs to slide his entire shot to the side to not obscure his vision. Defensively, he won’t be able to guard on the perimeter and is limited to the low block. Will need to work extremely hard to carve a path onto an NBA roster. 

External Factors: After moving to New York from Jamaica, Cockburn didn’t take basketball seriously until 2015. Giving a glimpse into how rapidly he developed since he arrived. 

Medical History: Currently, there are no medical factors impacting Cockburn’s draft stock. 

Summary:  Cockburn, on paper has the power and size to be an NBA level big but just hasn’t shown the offensive improvement you would like to see from an experienced college player. As the game continues to trend toward pace and space, it seems that his path to a main roster will come way of the G-League. While he could be drafted in the late second round and placed on an organizations development team, it is more than likely that he will go undrafted and sign after all the names have been called this year. If he were to try to mimic development from a current NBA player, I believe he could benefit from following Richaun Holmes. A NBA big man with similar traits, if Cockburn has the right team in the G-League he has a chance to become a  rotation player. 

MIP Projection: Undrafted