CHAMPAIGN — Kofi Cockburn and Giorgi Bezhanishvili conducted their postgame interview following this past Sunday’s Big Ten tournament championship win together.
It was only fitting.
The Illinois big men have been nearly inseparable since Cockburn arrived on campus the summer before the 2019-20 season. They connected almost instantly, with Bezhanishvili reigniting Cockburn’s underlying basketball love after it had waned throughout the recruiting process inherent in a top prospect.
“Giorgi took Kofi under his wing, day one, when he got to campus,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. “Most guys that you’re competing against for minutes and playing time, you don’t do that. You don’t want to be a part of that. Giorgi’s embraced him and knows how good he is.”
That embrace was literally present during the postgame Zoom. A representation of how close this Illinois team is on and off the court as it gets ready for the NCAA tournament and Friday’s first-round game against Drexel.
Cockburn and Bezhanishvili sat together in front of the laptop, championship hats and T-shirts on early Sunday evening. Within seconds of Cockburn, who had the cut-down net around his neck, started answering the first question, Bezhanishvili’s arm was around his shoulder.
They stayed that way for 15 minutes. The only times they weren’t physically connected was when one had made the other burst out into nearly uncontrollable laughter.
Cockburn was doing most of the laughing. Bezhanishvili managed to work the word “amazing” into his first answer 10 times in 17 seconds.
And he was off.
By the end of their segment of the postgame Zoom, Bezhanishvili had said “amazing” 43 times. Plus six times in Georgian — or saotsari — for good measure. Cockburn got in on the act a few times, too, playing off his teammate as well as he does off the court.
Buried somewhat in the tidal wave of “amazing,” though, were some real moments from both Cockburn and Bezhanishvili. Their relationship — on and off the court — isn’t part of some act. They’re roommates as well as teammates, and this year that’s meant even more time spent together as Illinois shrank its circle.
“If you know me and Giorgi, you know that we love each other,” Cockburn said. “The extent of our love is limitless. We’re always together. We enjoy being together. He brings me so much joy and so much happiness with just his energy and his approach and his whole personality.”
“Vise versa,” Bezhanishvili broke in.
“Being able to share this moment with him after being with him for such a long time and building that bond is an amazing feeling just to see that smile on his face,” Cockburn continued.
“How was it?” Bezhanishvili interjected once more.
“It was amazing,” Cockburn finished.
Bezhanishvili spent part of Illinois’ on-court celebration by himself, just apart from his teammates. He was soaking in the moment of a Big Ten tournament title.
“I was trying to really absorb everything,” Bezhanishvili said, turning introspective after playing for laughs just minutes earlier. “It’s hard to explain. Just enjoy it and at the same time, see all these people who I’ve been with since such a long time every single day working and see them also, from all the angles, see them so, so happy. It just brings me so much joy. I just tried to absorb that.”
Cockburn said seeing the smile on his teammate’s face after Sunday’s win and celebration was validation. The hard work, practice battles and tough times paid off.
“I feel like we both know how much we love each other,” Cockburn said. “We want the best for each other. … We’re both international players. We’ve both been through the same journey. It’s just trusting each other and knowing we’ll be there for each other no matter what happens. It’s the love we have for each other. That love carries over to whatever we do in life. We trust each other ultimately.”
Basketball brought Cockburn and Bezhanishvili together. The former left Jamaica for New York City to pursue the sport. The latter moved from his native Georgia to Austria and then to New Jersey before landing in Champaign as he did the same.
They’re each other’s biggest cheerleader. Bezhanishvili’s role changed when Cockburn arrived. He was the go-to post option as a freshman in the 2018-19 season, but has never complained about moving to a more complementary position.
Cockburn, in foul trouble in the second half against the Buckeyes, was literally jumping up and down with excitement on the Illinois bench during Sunday’s win against Ohio State when Bezhanishvili scored 10 straight points to keep the Illini ahead.
“We have so many joyful moments off the court, and when we see each other on the court being successful, come on, man, it’s such an amazing feeling,” Bezhanishvili said. “We have so many conversations about our families, our journeys. He’s telling me a lot about his country, his family, his culture. I’m doing the same thing.
“In practice, we go at each other. Sometimes, we have almost fought a couple times, but we know we’re not going to hit each other. It’s all competing. It’s all making each other better. We are here right now Big Ten champions.”
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