CHAMPAIGN — The Illinois frontcout is going to have an even more New York/New Jersey feel come the 2019-20 season. The Illini were already going to boast rising sophomore Giorgi Bezhanishvili and incoming four-star freshman Kofi Cockburn. They made it three bigs that played their high school basketball in the Tri-state area with a Monday night commitment from Bernard Kouma.
A native of Chad, Kouma will join Illinois from Our Saviour Lutheran (N.Y.). Kouma, like Cockburn, can sign with Illinois starting April 17 when the spring signing period opens and runs through May 15.
“Illinois, they’ve got a good program and they know how to push a player to be the best they can be,” Kouma told The News-Gazette on Monday.