Texas Basketball: 4 portal targets perfect to complete the offseason

Kofi Cockburn, C

Once again, reality will likely dictate a very different scenario for Beard and the Longhorns for whoever will be the final transfer portal addition this offseason than this fan base would like. It would truly be a dream scenario for the Longhorns to get a commitment from the Illinois Fighting Illini star sophomore center Kofi Cockburn out of the portal in the near future.

Texas would be getting more of a borderline low-tier NBA-caliber frontcourt unit out of a top trio of Mitchell, Cockburn, and Disu, instead of one of the better groups in the country at the college level. Adding Cockburn would make it tough for Beard to figure out the pecking order in this frontcourt rotation, in about the best way possible.

We don’t really have to talk about the specific impact that Cockburn would bring to the table for Beard and the Longhorns if he were to somehow land on the Forty Acres. The point here is that there are still some big names among big men in the portal at this point of the offseason, and Cockburn would be about the best that Texas could do (along with Obanor).

Cockburn himself went through the 2021 NBA Draft scouting process. He took part in the 2021 NBA Draft Combine last month but looks to be returning to college ahead of next season. The next landing spot for Cockburn is still largely unknown. Obviously, it would make sense for Texas to at least test the waters to see what Cockburn’s interest would be to come to Austin.