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CHAMPAIGN — The wait is over and Illinois fans can let out a sigh of relief.

Four-star big man Kofi Cockburn officially signed his National Letter of Intent with the Illinois men's basketball team, immediately giving the Illini a massive presence in the post.

Cockburn is a 7-foot, 290-pound big man who will give the team the size it desperately lacked last season. He's ranked No. 38 by Rivals, No. 41 by 247Sports and No. 46 by ESPN in the country, and is ranked the No. 9 center in the country by Rivals, No. 10 by 247Sports and No. 11 by ESPN.

He's the highest-ranked post player to sign with the Illini since Meyers Leonard did so in 2010 out of Robinson High School. As a senior last season, Cockburn averaged 14.8 points, 10.1 rebounds and shot 62.1 percent from the field for Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va.

Cockburn announced the signing on his social media pages late Tuesday night and Illinois issued a press release on Wednesday morning confirming the signing.