Utah Jazz: Kofi Cockburn Could Benefit from Roster Changes
After going undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft, Illinois standout Kofi Cockburn agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract with the Utah Jazz. In three seasons with the Fighting Illini, Cockburn was a double-double machine and one of the best bigs in the country, although concerns surrounding his transition to the NBA ultimately resulted in him going undrafted.
Illinois' Kofi Cockburn has agreed to a deal with the Utah Jazz, a source tells ESPN.
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 24, 2022
The Utah Jazz signed him, but they are under no obligation to add him to the roster when the season starts. Per the Exhibit 10 contract, Cockburn can be released when the season starts, or Utah can convert his contract to a two-way, splitting time between the Salt Lake Stars and the Jazz.
As a conventional center, Cockburn will not step out of the paint to hit shots. He will not put the ball on the floor. Don’t expect him to change his playstyle. It’s sink or swim for Cockburn. He either makes his style work or he plays overseas.
On the Jazz, Kofi can lock down the paint, force his way to the hoop, use his size and strength–he’s seven-foot and 285 pounds–and rebound with the best of them. He will not be a modern big like Karl-Anthony Towns or Bam Adebayo.
Does any of this sound familiar? Cockburn may have been picked up by the one team that could give him a real chance. If Gobert is traded away this summer and Hassan Whiteside signs somewhere else, the Jazz might want a conventional center to lock down the paint. The odds of the stars falling for Kofi are fairly high, so he could get a real shot in the league as a role-playing center, which is exactly what he was projected to be.
In the Summer League, it’s important for Kofi to play to his strengths. It worked in college, and the skill level at the Summer League is closer to the NCAA than NBA, although it is surely a step up. Instead of taking risks, Kofi could average a cool 15 points, 10 boards, and two blocks per game in the summer, securing him a spot with the Stars, and potentially getting called up if all goes well.
Looking at his college highlights, it’s easy to see why fans and scouts were high on him. His sheer size and strength alone might be enough to get him to the league, he just needs to keep himself there.