Illinois Basketball: Top storylines for the Illini during the 2020-21 season
By Max Feldman
The Illinois basketball program enters the 2020-2021 season with unprecedented expectations, and with that, comes an unprecedented NCAA basketball season altogether.
With more national recognition, as Illinois is pegged as a preseason top ten program, comes more eyes on Brad Underwood and the Fighting Illini. Here are a few of the top storylines to follow as the Illini maneuver their way through a historic season in Champaign.
1. The development of Ayo Dosunmu’s intangibles
There is no secret here, the Illini have one of, if not the best, player in the country. The first subject on every opponent’s scouting report will be No. 11, Ayo Dosunmu.
In year three, Ayo will be given more attention, will have double teams slid to him quicker than ever and will be given no shortage of physicality. Different than most dominant collegiate point guards in the Big Ten in recent history, Ayo physically checks out for NBA teams. He is built to play at both guard positions and should not have a problem selling himself to franchises in that manner.
While I do believe Ayo would have been selected in the 2020 NBA Draft, he has the chance this season to improve his stock if he can substantiate his ability to digest a defense and consistently make plays for his teammates.
Ayo had a brutal assist-to-turnover ratio in his sophomore season, at just 1.2 assists for every turnover. Execs at the next level seek at least a 2:1 turnover ratio out of primary ball handlers, so Ayo has some work to do in order to not be labeled a tweener in the backcourt.
Strength coach Adam Fletcher and everyone around the Illini program knows that Ayo checks out in the tangible areas, but his outlook as an NBA player will come down to his intangible development. Watch for Ayo to capitalize off the attention he has earned as a scorer at all three levels and improve his playmaking numbers.