Coach predicts top draft pick for Ja’s Cockburn

As Jamaican basketballer Kofi Cockburn continues his preparation for his transition to the professional level, national youth coach Nyron Hurd says that the 21 year-old would be a high selection for the upcoming NBA Draft than what the majority of mock drafts are currently projecting him to be.

Cockburn, 21 declared for the draft in April and yesterday reports surfaced that he would officially forgo his final two years of eligibility for the University of Illinois. He has until July 7 to withdraw and to keep his college eligibility.

Cockburn is coming off a season where he was named to the All American Second Team as well as the All-Big Ten First Team, averaging 17.7 points per game and having a field goal percentage of 65.4 per cent. This is an improvement from his debut season 2019-20 where he had 53.2 per cent. According to the latest mock draft by The Athletic's Sam Vecenie Cockburn is projected to be selected by the Indiana Pacers late in the second round with the 54th pick.

However, Hurd says that his level of growth will play a factor into where Cockburn eventually lands and believes that his ability to adapt quickly will give him an edge in the NBA.

The ratio of growth

"I don't believe he will draft low. I think he will be a high pick. Of course with this level of basketball (the players) have to be extremely talented and there is no doubt about Kofi's talent level," Hurd told STAR Sports. "The next thing is the ratio of growth in the small period of time. I think with that said when a coach looks at a player's growth pattern, I think that will be the basis on which they will take him on. Not so much of what he is actually doing now."

Cockburn returned for his sophomore season after initially declaring for the 2020 NBA draft. He helped Illinois win their first Big 10 Championship since 2005. They entered the recent NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament as the number one seed in the Midwest Region but were eliminated in the second round. He is currently not ranked among CBS Sports top 75 prospects or ESPN's top 100 prospects.

However, youth coach Lennox Lindo says that he is making the right choice in declaring for this year's draft and believes that it is important for him to land in the right environment as well with the right coach to develop his talent.

"If he ends up at a system driven team where the coach is dominant, that would help him because he is coming from a college system which is structured," Lindo said. "If he ends up at a team where they have to have star players in place and (function through them) then maybe it would stifle his style of basketball as a young player."

The 2021 NBA Draft is slated for July 29 with the scouting combine scheduled to start on June 21-27 in Chicago.