Ayo Dosunmu, the Chicago-born kid who didn’t have to travel very far to play his college ball at the University of Illinois. He made a name for himself in college and should have no problem getting drafted and sticking around the NBA for quite some time.
Ayo Dounmu 2021 NBA Draft Profile
College Career
He spent three seasons in Champagne and was a key contributor every year. He averaged over 30 minutes per game every season and in his final year, he finished with a career-high 20.1 points per game with 6.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists. Unfortunately, the Illini lost to Loyola Chicago before the Sweet 16. While many had Illinois pegged as a Final Four team- and even a title contender- the Ramblers frustrated them.
Nonetheless, Ayo’s legacy at Illinois will live on, and for good reason.
Strengths
Where to begin? Ayo’s motor is off the charts. He can beat you off the dribble, he can pull up, and he can stop on a dime and hit a nasty shot right in your face. It really doesn’t matter.
Ayo Dosunmu was cooking today ♨️ @brhoops
21 PTS | 12 REB | 12 AST
Third player in program history to notch a triple-double pic.twitter.com/88NdCHC5LM
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 6, 2021
In the open court, he is nearly impossible to contain, although NBA defenses will find a way to slow him down. Still, his speed is out of this world and he should cause a lot of problems for opposing defenses. He’s tenacious and the energy he brings when he is on the court is contagious for his team.
Ayo Dosunmu (19 PTS, 7-10 FG) came up clutch vs. No. 7 OSU 🔥
Young star in the making @brhoops pic.twitter.com/PfasC3rxd0
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 6, 2021
Plus, with a frame of 6-foot-5 and 200 pounds he’s a perfect size for an NBA point guard.
Weaknesses
Well, there’s a cause for concern with Ayo. To start, he’s not the best defender. He has terrific speed as mentioned above, but he doesn’t play good individual defense. Then again, the NBA as a whole is trending down in terms of defense.
Also, he is careless with the basketball. Despite his amazing numbers at Illinois, he averaged just under three turnovers per game throughout his college career. He tries and force passes in tight spots, something you can’t do at the pro level.
He needs to learn to take care of the ball if he wants to become the full-time starting point guard that he is capable of being.
NBA Player Comparison
He’s a mixture of De’Aaron Fox and Russell Westbrook. He has Fox’s offensive repertoire in the fact that he can score from every level. However, his explosiveness and speed are that much like Brodie’s. After all, we have seen for years how often Westbrook explodes to the basket and energizes the crowd and teams with ridiculous plays.
Ayo Dosunmu Draft Projection: Late Lottery Pick (10-14)
His college career was extremely decorated and his offensive game alone- even despite the turnovers- is exciting. He should start off as a bench player that plays heavy minutes while learning to take care of the basketball and play defense at a higher level. Then, he will take over the reins as a starting point guard.
Possible NBA team fits: Golden State, Boston, New Orleans, Orlando.
Main Photo
