Kofi Cockburn’s Return Bolsters Illinois 2022 March Madness Odds

The biggest player — quite possibly both literally and figuratively — in the  NCAA men’s basketball transfer portal made their decision on Friday.

On July 17, consensus second-team All-American big man Kofi Cockburn announced he is returning to Champaign for his third season. This is obviously a massive boost for an Illinois team that lost guards Ayo Dosunmu and Adam Miller, and big Giorgi Bezhanishvili.

Despite a trio that combined for 33.5 points per game (PPG) being on the way out, the Cockburn return immediately makes the Illini a serious title contender again.

The odds for Illinois to win the title have shortened considerably since Cockburn's announcement.

As of July 6, the Illinois odds were 50/1 at DraftKings and 35/1 at PointsBet. DraftKings has adjusted to 16/1, while PointsBet has adjusted to 25/1.

BetMGM odds for Illinois to win the title currently stand at 14-1.

With Cockburn in tow, Illini head coach Brad Underwood will now have three of his five starters back in the lineup for the 2021-22 season.

When you factor in the return of guards Jacob Grandison — who started 16 games last season — and sixth man Andre Curbelo (9 points, 4 assists per game), it is easy to envision quite a successful season for the Illini, as the odds movement suggests.