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Illinois Basketball: Recruiting pitch to Ayo Dosunmu

By Rees Woodcock

KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 09: Head coach Brad Underwood of the Oklahoma State Cowboys reacts from the bench during the quarterfinal game of the Big 12 Basketball Tournament against the Iowa State Cyclones at the Sprint Center on March 9, 2017 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 09: Head coach Brad Underwood of the Oklahoma State Cowboys reacts from the bench during the quarterfinal game of the Big 12 Basketball Tournament against the Iowa State Cyclones at the Sprint Center on March 9, 2017 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 11: Basketballs are shown in a ball rack before the championship game of the Western Athletic Conference Basketball tournament between the New Mexico State Aggies and the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners at the Orleans Arena on March 11, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images) /

No. 1 Starting spot available

One of the big benefits of Dosunmu coming to Illinois is that the team is kind of a blank slate right now. There isn’t that wily old veteran that has a guaranteed spot on the team.

Dosunmu will join the team in 2018 and he should have a starting spot. I am pegging the starting lineup to be Te’Jon Lucas at the No. 1 guard spot. Mark Smith would then be the No. 2 guard. These two guys are great at handling the ball and I expect both of them to share bringing the ball up the court.

The No. 3 guard spot would then go to Dosunmu. He has nice size – listed at 6-foot-4 but is probably 6-foot-5 – and that will help with him being a dangerous guard-wing player for the Illini. He can create mismatches with his athletic ability but can also match up with some bigger wings because of his size.

Illinois’ lineup then finishes up with Leron Black at the No. 4 spot and Michael Finke at the No. 5 spot. This is a lineup that can compete and could advance in the NCAA tournament. Dosunmu would have a starting spot on this team every year he would be with the Illini. He is a special player and needs to be in the Orange and Blue.

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