Ayo Dosunmu sprinkling that Illinois basketball swagger on the Chicago Bulls

I think it’s safe to say that this new era of Illinois basketball was built on the backs of some pretty special characters.

At the top of that list, 1A, is Ayo Dosunmu. The Chicago-native, Morgan Park grad, and IHSA 3A State Champion committed to the Illini in October 2017. It felt like a vibe shift for the program. Brad Underwood was just about to begin his first season with the Illini, and he had just landed the highest-rated recruit to join the team since Dee Brown in 2001.

Once Dosunmu got to campus, it didn’t take long for everyone to realize he was the real deal. His freshman season wasn’t a team success, but Dosunmu was a standout. Averaging 13.8 points per game, he became the first freshman in school history to lead the team in scoring.

Over the next two years, Dosunmu kept getting better, and so did the team. In his sophomore season, the Illini finished with 20 wins for the first time since 2013. The season ended early when the world shut down due to COVID, leaving Illini fans wondering what could have been. Illinois’ last game that year was a signature win over ranked Iowa at home.

Remember that? Pretty special stuff. I was three years old in 2005, so this was my first time really seeing Illinois basketball in all its glory.

His junior year was another level. Dosunmu was absolutely lighting up the empty gyms he played in and looking like Batman doing it, nonetheless. He averaged over 20 points a game and earned First-Team All-American honors.

Ayo Dosunmu has now implemented this Illinois basketball moxie with the Chicago Bulls

I say all this to say: he’s back. Dosunmu has shown flashes of greatness in his first four seasons with the Bulls, but the start to this season has been different. The confidence, swagger, and moxie we saw every night on Lou Henson Court are back in full force, and it’s awesome to watch.

The Bulls started the season 5-0, due in large part to Dosunmu’s play. He has come off the bench so far this season, after missing half of 2024-25 with a shoulder injury, but has not missed a beat and is looking the best he has in his NBA career. He’s currently averaging 14.9 points in 25 minutes per game, shooting over 50% from the field and 45% from three.

Dosunmu's life could be a movie. Going from a state champion in high school to an NCAA All-American playing for his home state, then getting drafted and thriving in his hometown, it quite literally does not get better than that. I will always cheer for Dosunmu, not only because I’m a Bulls fan, but because I’m so thankful for his loyalty to the Illini and how he helped change the trajectory of the basketball program.

Dosunmu will be an unrestricted free agent this upcoming offseason, and personally, I’d love to see him stay in his hometown and continue his legacy in the state that shaped him. Whatever happens, here’s to hoping he gets the paycheck he deserves and keeps climbing toward becoming a star in the NBA.