The decisions of Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn to withdraw from the NBA draft and return to school have changed the outlook for the Fighting Illini this season, with the Illinois program ranked in the top 10 among many preseason lists.
The point guard-center duo are considered among the top-10 returning players in the nation according to Andy Katz. He ranks Dosunmu at No. 2 and Cockburn at No. 10 on his list for the March Madness 365 Podcast. Here is what Katz had to say about each player and the prospects of the Illini in 2020-21…
Ayo Dosunmu
"The guard averaged 16 points a game. One of the clutch players in college basketball. He's a closer, plays hurt. Can finish a game like no one else in the game right now. A Chicago kid that wanted to come back and deliver the Illini to a potential Final Four … Ayo could be Big Ten player of the year. He could be national player of the year, first-team All-American. He's just got it. And he's going to be even better. He could become a better shooter, and he's working on that. But he wants to win. He is a winner."
Kofi Cockburn
"The big man returning for his sophomore season, withdrawing from the NBA draft. Averaged 13 points, 8 boards. Certainly could be a little bit of a better free show shooter, shot 67% from the line. I do expect his minutes to increase, averaged about 27 minutes a game last season, that could be into the 30s next season. We've seen this in the Big Ten – freshman to sophomore – for the bigs. Just look at Maryland, back-to-back years, Bruno Fernando, Jalen Sticks Smith, the improvement we saw from freshman to sophomore year. Fully expect that from the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Kofi Cockburn."
Katz on Illinois
"They've got a legitimate shot to get back (to the Final Four) for the first time since 2005. You've got Ayo, you've got Kofi. This was a team that learned how to win on the road. They've got a legitimate shot to win the Big Ten."
