Pistons draft: The strongest man in the 2022 NBA Draft

How Kofi Cockburn fits on the Detroit Pistons

I watched Cockburn quite a lot, and just kept thinking that if this guy could hit a 12-15 foot jumper he could be something in the NBA.

He currently can’t, but I also assume that Cockburn is well aware of how he is viewed by NBA scouts and will be working hard to improve his shot and his rim protection, two things that could get him into the league.

One thing to consider is that Cockburn was asked to do FAR more in college than he would be in the NBA, and there is an argument that a guy this big and athletic could be a rebounder/rim protector/rim runner if he dedicated himself to those things when he’s not being asked to be a top scoring option as he was in Illinois.

Cockburn would be the opposite approach from Luka Garza, a skilled big with no athleticism, and could provide the Pistons with something they need, which is rebounding.

Cockburn is an elite rebounding prospect and the Pistons were near the bottom of the league in the category, so he makes some sense as a 3rd center option. He’s definitely different than all of the bigs they currently have and could be one of those guys who comes in and gives you rebounding and shot blocking in short bursts.

In the end, Cockburn is probably 25 years too late to be an impact player in the NBA and will probably have to work his way through the G-League to get there. His case will be the test-market for old school type centers who are being phased out of the NBA.

For our entire second-round series, click here.