The go-to player for the Illinois basketball team throughout the past three seasons, Ayo Dosunmu, was drafted by the hometown Chicago Bulls in the second round of July’s 2021 NBA Draft.
What should fans expect to see from Ayo during his rookie season?
Given the fact Ayo was the first Illini drafted into the NBA since big man Meyers Leonard was picked by the Portland Trail Blazers at No. 12 overall in 2012, Illinois fans are more than eager to see Ayo get an ample amount of playing time.
Will this be the case, though?
According to ESPN, Ayo is currently listed as a shooting guard when looking at the Bulls’ roster. However, Illini fans know that Ayo is more than capable of getting minutes at the point, given that is what he played for the Orange and Blue. Ayo was even the recipient of the Bob Cousy Award, which is given to the nation’s best point guard.
The Bulls currently have 11 guards on its roster – six shooting guards and five point guards. Considering current guards Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso, Coby White, Tomas Satoransky, and Javonte Green are all virtually locks to make the active roster, Ayo will need to make his case to prove he deserves to join that group of guards.
How can former Illinois basketball great Ayo Dosunmu make his case for the active roster?
The 2021 NBA Summer League is currently underway. Besides practice, this will likely be the biggest opportunity for Ayo to prove he belongs on the active roster, given the stage and the competition of the summer league.
Putting up solid stat lines in these games, along with showing he can facilitate, create plays, and execute on the defensive end, will be key for Ayo when making his case.
The Bulls have played three summer league games thus far. In the first game – Ayo’s NBA debut – he put up a stat line of 6 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 fouls, and 2 turnovers in 27 minutes. Ayo finished the game with a +/- of -15 in the Bulls’ 94-77 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.
In game two, Ayo had a slightly better performance, recording 10 points, 4 rebounds, 4 steals, 2 assists, 1 turnover, and 1 foul. He would end the night with a +/- of -2 in the Bulls’ 92-89 victory over the Spurs.
Ayo struggled in Chicago’s most recent game on Thursday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He scored just two points on 1-of-7 shooting. Ayo also recorded 5 rebounds, 1 block, 1 foul, and finished the day with a +/- of -10 in his 25 minutes of playing time.
In these games, Ayo appeared to be playing comfortably. The Chicago Bulls’ Instagram page posted a video of Ayo communicating with his new teammates on the floor. He seemed to be aware of his assignments defensively, calling out switches to his teammates for who he even had nicknames.
Prediction
I personally believe Ayo has what it takes to make the active roster for the Chicago Bulls. However, I believe the Bulls will have him start the year off playing for the Windy City Bulls, their G-League affiliate.
Having Ayo play for the Windy City Bulls will allow him to get valuable playing time in addition to developing as a player. If he starts the year on the active roster, I do not see him getting many minutes or being an immediate impact player due to the fact he would be playing behind guys like LaVine, Ball, White, Satoransky, etc.
Either way, Ayo’s future in the NBA is bright, and Illinois fans will finally get to see another former Illini hooper play in the NBA.