■ Illini one-two punch of Dosunmu and Cockburn to return.
Sophomore follows lead of Dosunmu to rejoin Illini
In a span of 18 hours between Friday night and Saturday afternoon, Illinois received two bits of welcoming news indicating a bright basketball future.
Ayo Dosunmu announced in a dramatic video Friday night that he would withdraw his name from the NBA draft to return for his junior season. Teammate Kofi Cockburn responded with a “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” GIF appearing to indicate he was pondering his next move.
The big man followed up Saturday by announcing on social media he would be back for his sophomore season.
Illinois will be considered a contender by many for the Big Ten title with a stocked starting lineup, which also is expected to include veterans Trent Frazier, Da’Monte Williams and Giorgi Bezhanishvili.
Dosunmu, a Morgan Park graduate, declared he wanted even more in his announcement.
“First I need that national championship,” he said at the end of the video posted on his Twitter account.
Dosunmu and Cockburn made an impressive inside-out duo last season. They led the Illini to a 21-10 record, putting Illinois in line for its first NCAA Tournament in seven years. But the season ended abruptly before the Illini’s first Big Ten Tournament game as sports leagues shuttered amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cockburn made an instant impact, averaging 13.3 points and 8.8 rebounds and posting 12 double-doubles to win the conference’s Freshman of the Year award.
Averaging 16.6 points and shooting 48.4%, Dosunmu shined throughout the season with clutch performances. After finishing 12-21 overall and 7-13 in the Big Ten in 2018-19, the Illini went 21-10 overall with a 13-7 conference mark last season.
The 6-foot-5 guard reportedly was invited to the NBA draft combine. Underclassmen had until Monday to withdraw their names.
The Illini finished just one game out of first place in the Big Ten, shy of a goal Dosunmu had set. The media named him first-team All-Conference.
Dosunmu’s dad said after the season that his son had accomplished his goals at Illinois and was near-certain to remain in the NBA draft.
Dosunmu was not a sure-fire draftee, nor was Cockburn. The draft is loaded with guards this season, but there could be more opportunity for Dosunmu’s draft potential next season. Cockburn wasn’t listed on prominent NBA mock drafts.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, potential draftees dealt with unprecedented uncertainty and limited contact with NBA teams as workouts were prohibited and video interviews were limited. Dates continually shifted for the combine and draft, and colleges also were in limbo for weeks before teams decided when players could return to campus for workouts.
Dosunmu had been working out in his hometown of Chicago, while Cockburn spent much of his time in New York.
Since the day he committed to Illinois as a high school senior, Dosunmu publicly stated his intentions of leaving Illinois before exhausting eligibility. He tested the NBA waters after his freshman season too.
Dosunmu quickly grew into a fan favorite in Champaign after so many others from Chicago spurned them in recent years. His outspoken adoration of the school’s basketball tradition and his hard-nosed play only added to his legacy.
After Illinois beat Iowa 78-76 in the regular-season finale, Dosunmu remained on the State Farm Center court longer than any player as fans cheered. Many expected it to be his final moments as a player on that court.
But he now has a chance to make more memories with Cockburn.