ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI NEWS

Kofi Cockburn - Suspended for first three games Cockburn has been suspended for the first three games of the season by the NCAA, Brian Hamilton of The Athletic reports.

Impact Cockburn's suspension stems from him selling apparel and memorabilia back in June prior to the July 1 date in which the state of Illinois and the NCAA enacted a new NIL legislation that would allow these sales. It's unfortunate because at that time it was still up in the air as to whether or not Cockburn would enter the NBA Draft or return to Illinois. Nevertheless, the preseason first-team All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year will be allowed to return to game action for the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City against Cincinnati on Nov. 22.

NOVEMBER 1, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Coleman Hawkins - Strong preseason continues Hawkins had 16 points (7-14 FG, 2-7 3Pt) and nine rebounds across 24 minutes in Friday's 94-79 exhibition victory over Indiana (PA).

Impact Hawkins appears to be settling nicely into a role alongside center Kofi Cockburn, who led the way with 21 points in the preseason contest. He was also helped by the fact Austin Hutcherson sat this one out due to a bruised tailbone. It's unclear if this means fantasy relevance just yet for the 6-10 Hawkins, but he does seem poised for a big uptick from the 6.2 mpg he saw last season.

NOVEMBER 1, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Alfonso Plummer - Heavy exhibition minutes Plummer had 16 points (3-9 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 7-8 FT), two rebounds and two steals across 33 minutes off the bench in Friday's 94-79 exhibition victory over Indiana (PA).

Impact There were a few circumstances that contributed to Plummer's high minutes total, as Da'Monte Williams sat with a back injury, and Trent Frazier only logged four minutes due to a shoulder injury. If either has to miss time during the regular season, Plummer likely stands to benefit the most. When the team is at full strength, however, it appears the Utah transfer will see usage primarily in a sixth-man capacity.

NOVEMBER 1, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Andre Curbelo - Turnover-heavy exhibition Curbelo had 14 points (5-10 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 4-7 FT) and 12 assists in 33 minutes before fouling out of Friday's 94-79 exhibition victory over Indiana (PA).

Impact It was usage typical of what to expect from Curbelo this season, though provided it's not a typo, he did commit 10 turnovers in the contest against a DII opponent. Still, it was a low-stakes opportunity for Curbelo to shake off some rust, with Illinois' next official game action set for the season opener against Jackson State on Nov. 9.

NOVEMBER 1, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Trent Frazier - Leaves exhibition with shoulder injury Frazier left Friday's exhibition contest with an apparent right shoulder injury, Jeremy Warner of 247 Sports reports.

Impact Frazier eventually made it back into the game but was later removed and held out the remainder of the contest for what was described as precautionary reasons. He ended up logging just four minutes in the contest, with Alfonso Plummer taking on the bulk of the minutes left behind. The Illini don't seem to be overly concerned with this injury, but fantasy managers won't get another chance to see him in action ahead of the Nov. 9 season opener against Jackson State. Any missed time for the veteran leader would most likely affect Illinois on the defensive end.

NOVEMBER 1, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Austin Hutcherson - Not dressed Friday Hutcherson (tailbone) isn't dressed for Friday's exhibition versus Indiana (Pa.), Scott Richey of The Champaign News-Gazette reports.

Impact Hutcherson was reportedly questionable for the contest leading up to tip but will skip out to tend to the bruised tailbone. The next contest on the docket for the Illini is the Nov. 9 opener versus Jackson State, giving Hutcherson more than a week to get healthy before regular-season play.

OCTOBER 29, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Austin Hutcherson - Questionable for exhibition Hutcherson (bruise) is questionable to play Friday's exhibition game against Indiana (PA), according to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports.

Impact Hutcherson has been listed as questionable for the exhibition due to a bruised tailbone, but no further details have been given. He had 14 points (5-7 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 3-3 FT), seven rebounds and two steals across 21 minutes off the bench in Saturday's 101-34 exhibition victory over St. Francis (IL).

OCTOBER 29, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Da'Monte Williams - Dealing with back problem Williams (back) won't play Friday's exhibition game against Indiana (PA), according to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports.

Impact It's unclear if Williams' issue is a lingering problem or a minor injury, but the team will be cautious with him in order to have him available for the season opener against Jackson State on Nov. 9.

OCTOBER 29, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Kofi Cockburn - Preseason Big Ten POY Cockburn has been tabbed as the Big Ten's Preseason Player of the Year.

Impact Cockburn decided to withdraw his name from the 2021 NBA Draft and return to Illinois, where he averaged 17.7 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game a season ago. The 7-footer put up 14 points, six boards and a block over 15 minutes in a recent exhibition game, suggesting he's already rounding into form ahead of the regular-season opener Nov. 9 versus Jackson State.

OCTOBER 27, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

College basketball 2021-22: 36 takeaways heading into a new (normal) season

Andy Katz offers 36 takeaways for the 2021-22 men's college hoops season, including the teams, players and coaches to watch.

OCTOBER 26, 2021

Drew Timme, Johnny Juzang, Kofi Cockburn headline AP preseason All-Americans Timme was the lone unanimous selection by a 63-person media panel on The Associated Press preseason All-America team released Monday. He was...

OCTOBER 26, 2021 • WASHINGTONTIMES.COM

Illinois center Kofi Cockburn is named to the preseason AP All-America basketball team Kofi Cockburn opted to return to Illinois after weighing the NBA for a second straight year. The 7-foot center averaged 17.7 points and 9.5...

OCTOBER 26, 2021 • CHICAGOTRIBUNE.COM

Timme, Juzang, Cockburn headline AP preseason All-Americans

Drew Timme of Gonzaga is the lone unanimous selection on The Associated Press preseason All-America team

OCTOBER 25, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Coleman Hawkins - Efficient line in exhibition Hawkins had 13 points (4-6 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 3-3 FT), five rebounds and two blocks across 12 minutes in Saturday's 101-34 exhibition victory over St. Francis (IL).

Impact Granted the caliber of competition wasn't much to write home about here, but Hawkins still appears to be emerging as a viable backup for Player of the Year candidate Kofi Cockburn. Reporters have done nothing but relay praise about 6-11 Hawkins from coach Brad Underwood so far, but that means very little until we see it on the court. Hawkins now has an efficient performance to build off and has one more exhibition contest against Indiana (Pa.) on Oct. 29 to keep the momentum going.

OCTOBER 25, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Kofi Cockburn - Efficient 15-minute tune-up Cockburn had 14 points (6-8 FG, 2-4 FT), six rebounds and a block across 15 minutes in Saturday's 101-34 exhibition victory over St. Francis (IL).

Impact The Big Ten hasn't given out official preseason awards for a few years now, but Cockburn would arguably be a shoe-in for Preseason Player of the Year if that were the case. He was at one point thought to be going pro, and had even considered the transfer market, but Cockburn will instead return to take care of unfinished business at Illinois, where he'll represent a legitimate Wooden Award candidate. Averaging a double-double isn't out of the question, which makes Cockburn a safe option for the No. 1 overall pick in fantasy drafts no matter what player pool is used.

OCTOBER 25, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Andre Curbelo - Business as usual in exhibition Curbelo had 11 points (5-10 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 0-1 FT), five assists, three rebounds, three steals and two block across 20 minutes in Saturday's 101-34 exhibition victory over St. Franci...

Impact With Ayo Dosunmu off to the professional ranks, the ball is in Curbelo's hands now as the primary point guard for the Illini. College basketball fans have already seen what Curbelo can do when the ball-dominant Dosunmu isn't in the lineup, as Curbelo averaged 14.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists during a three-game stretch without him last season. Curbelo went on to win Sixth Man of the Year honors in the Big Ten conference, but the ceiling is clearly much higher in 2021-22. Also helping his case is the somewhat surprising return of Wooden Award candidate Kofi Cockburn, who should help Curbelo's assist totals simply by being his dominant self around the basket. There are few Big Ten players with a similar mix of floor and ceiling from a fantasy perspective, but Curbelo is the type of player deserving of fantasy attention even on the national radar.

OCTOBER 25, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Austin Hutcherson - First off bench in exhibition Hutcherson (back) had 14 points (5-7 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 3-3 FT), seven rebounds and two steals across 21 minutes off the bench in Saturday's 101-34 exhibition victory over St. Francis (I...

Impact Hutcherson's first season with the Illini was characterized by back troubles, and it was eventually revealed in January that he would miss the entire season due to a stress fracture in his back. Reporters at Illini practice this season have already implied that he'll be a contributor in 2021-22, but there hadn't been anything as concrete as an exhibition box score prior to Saturday to give the 6-6 forward a clean bill of health. Hutcherson didn't just play, but he tied Kofi Cockburn for the team scoring lead in the blowout victory while also capturing the team rebounding high. The competition will undoubtedly get tougher, but Hutcherson's status as the first off the bench could slide him into fantasy relevance in daily and Big Ten-only formats, especially if there are any injuries at the wings.

OCTOBER 25, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

All-opponent team: The best players Cincinnati will face this season A look at the top opponents UC will play during the 2021-22 season.

OCTOBER 22, 2021 • CINCINNATI.COM

Deep Illini build expectations around big man Kofi Cockburn

Illinois is back for another season and plan to build around junior center Kofi Cockburn

OCTOBER 19, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Preseason AP Top 25: Andy Katz's takeaways on first ranking of 2021-22 season

The "blue bloods" dominated the preseason AP Top 25 poll, but there is a new shade of blue on top, Andy Katz writes.

OCTOBER 19, 2021

When judging Big Ten basketball, look beyond national championships

It hasn't had a national champ since 2000, but the Big Ten remains the best conference in men's basketball, Andy Katz writes.

OCTOBER 12, 2021

Big Ten big men Kofi Cockburn and Hunter Dickinson are back to show there's still a place in the game for size With the role of big men changing in the NBA, the college game is seeing centers stay in school longer. Nowhere is that more evident than in...

OCTOBER 7, 2021 • SPORTINGNEWS.COM

Michigan, Purdue headline official unofficial Big Ten basketball media poll, plus my picks for 2021-22 The fifth annual preseason poll also tabs Illinois center Kofi Cockburn as player of the year and Michigan's Caleb Houstan as top freshman.

OCTOBER 6, 2021 • THEATHLETIC.COM