There is so much NBA news going on early Tuesday morning, so it might overshadow a big contract signing by a former Illinois basketball star.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is going to steal all of the headlines on NBA Draft day, as he is on the move to the Miami Heat. Milwaukee is getting a haul back from the Heat, including former Illini Kasparas Jakucionis.
While all of that is going on, another former Illinois star, Ayo Dosunmu, is cashing in big-time with a massive new deal.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Dosunmu is signing a five-year, $112 million deal to stay with the Minnesota Timberwolves. This is great news for Dosunmu, as he now gets to stay in the Midwest and close to his Chicago roots.
Free agent guard Ayo Dosunmu intends to sign a five-year, $112 million contract to return to the Minnesota Timberwolves, with a player option in the fifth season, sources tell ESPN. Timberwolves made it a major priority to lock in Dosunmu after his tremendous postseason. pic.twitter.com/xw93nAUhJt
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 23, 2026
This past season rocked Dosunmu’s career path a bit. Coming from Chicago, Dosunmu played three seasons in Champaign for the Illinois basketball program. He was then drafted by the Chicago Bulls, where he played four full seasons.
In the middle of the 2025-26 campaign, Dosunmu was traded to the Timberwolves. This was the first time he suited up for a team outside of the state of Illinois. It didn’t matter to him, though. Dosunmu thrived.
In 24 games with Minnesota, he averaged 14.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. He also shot an eye-popping 43.9% from three-point range.
While those numbers are great, it is the incredible playoff run that Dosunmu had that really put him over the top.
In the first round, he averaged 21.8 points, 4.0 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game while shooting 54.5% from three-point range. This included a 25-point and 43-point performance in games three and four, respectively, against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.
A shorthanded Minnesota squad ended up knocking off the Nuggets, which was a pretty big upset given the injuries.
I truly believe the playoff run that Dosunmu went on in 2026 enabled him to cash in. He showed the Timberwolves what stability he can bring to their franchise, and now he cashes in to the tune of $22.4 million per year.
The big contract from the Minnesota Timberwolves signals that Ayo Dosunmu is their answer at point guard
What I love about the big contract that Dosunmu received is that this is a show of confidence for the talented guard. Minnesota is investing in him, and the way the contracts lay out, this is his point guard job to lose.
Minnesota didn’t have much in the way of a point guard last season. Donte DiVincenzo was underwhelming, and his contract expired after the season. Julius Randle actually led in assists, but he is a forward and was recently traded.
I think Dosunmu is going to be the lead dog at the No. 1 spot next season. He will play alongside Anthony Edwards and will free him up to move around the court more. This is going to be a match made in heaven for the Timberwolves.
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