Illinois guard Ayo Dosunmu has decided to enter the 2021 NBA draft and forgo his remaining NCAA eligibility, he said on ESPN’s The Jump on Wednesday (link via Jonathan Givony of ESPN).
[RELATED: 2021 NBA Draft Early Entrants List]
Dosunmu, who returned to the Fighting Illini after testing the draft waters a year ago, enjoyed his best season in 2020/21, averaging 20.1 PPG, 6.3 RPG, and 5.3 APG with a shooting line of .488/.386/.783 in 28 games (35.1 MPG).
The 21-year-old’s strong performance as a junior earned him the Bob Cousy Award, given to the nation’s top point guard, and made him a consensus first team All-American. It also helped Illinois earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, though the team bowed out in the second round.
Dosunmu ranks 22nd overall on ESPN’s big board for the 2021 draft, with Givony calling him one of the best two-way guards in this year’s class.
I liked his game. But he didn’t look good in Loyola loss.
Still a first rd talent. Long PG with good vision, can also score. Knicks will look hard at him. Also like David Duke here at our 2nd pick. Ayo reminds me of Jamal Crawford same body type. Good ball handler
Dinwiddie/ Derozen/ Barret/ Randle/ Mitch
Rose/ IQ/ Burks/ Obi/ Noel
Knox
PG: Tre Mann
SG: Ayo Dosunmu
PF: Raiquan Gray
C: Jay Huff
I can see it.
Except for the rookies, gotta catch up
Dosunmu… the game for him, he can contain easily… He has extra brainspace he can put to the pro game… if that makes any sesnse. Has room to grow the next level, mentally. Might be an illusion due to almost being from Africa (parents are); African players can be overconfident after a move to America… Not sure how smart he is per se. But a good 6-5 or 6-6 PG is going to get a shot.
He was really good at getting the ball in the post in a way Coburn could work with, usually quickly. (Announcers did not say “Cock-burn”.) He didn’t just grudgingly surrender the ball like some entry passers.