The Bulls are one win from reaching the NBA Finals for a sixth consecutive season. With Dwyane Wade, Jimmy Butler and Rajon Rondo all in their prime, Chicago has legitimate championship hopes this year as well.
The “bulls nba” is a team in the National Basketball Association. Chicago Bulls guard, Ayo Dosunmu, has been playing well and making spectacular history for the team this season.
When the Chicago Bulls chose Ayo Dosunmu in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft, they understood he could give two-way value. They may not have anticipated him playing a crucial role for a competing club.
Early in the season, Dosunmu earned a position in Chicago’s rotation. He’s subsequently developed into an important backcourt option and starting point guard for a Bulls club that has spent most of the season without Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso. The on-ball defender’s skill as well as his growth as a playmaker are both critical for a team looking for consistency down the stretch.
In addition, the former University of Illinois standout is ready to join an exclusive club of NBA players.
Ayo Dosunmu has been a huge asset to the Bulls’ lineup.
When evaluating prospects throughout the draft process, front offices around the NBA often place a premium on perceived upside and projectability. That helps to understand why Dosunmu was eliminated in the second round by the Bulls.
Dosunmu was a standout performer at Illinois. The Westinghouse High School graduate averaged 16.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.9 assists over three seasons. In his senior year, he was named to the All-America First Team after averaging 20.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game.
However, nothing in Dosunmu’s game stood out.
Dosunmu didn’t have the most remarkable athleticism during his Illini career, while showing flashes here and there. In his senior season, he shot the ball effectively from beyond the arc, but there was no way of knowing how his game would transition to the NBA. His age, of course, didn’t help things. That experience, on the other hand, has made all the difference.
The rookie guard has made his mark in an exceptionally strong draft class while playing for a decimated Bulls club. Dosunmu has averaged 11.2 points, 5.9 assists, and 3.8 rebounds in 29 games as a starter, shooting 62.5 percent true. As a mid-range scorer, he knows when to attack, where to seek for his shot, and how to stretch the floor as a catch-and-shoot player. The 22-year-old also has a knack for filling the lane in transition and is a reliable facilitator on the open floor.
Dosunmu’s defensive prowess is as noteworthy. He consistently accepts the most difficult assignments and seems to adapt when facing great guards for the second time.
Despite the Bulls’ backcourt ailments, Chicago’s breakthrough star has kept the team afloat. Dosunmu is ready to create history, therefore it’s only appropriate.
Dosunmu is expected to join an exclusive club of NBA second-round players.
On March 14, 2022, Ayo Dosunmu watches a game versus the Sacramento Kings | Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images
Only a few second-round choices have had an impact on playoff teams. Ayo Dosunmu has done just that for a Bulls squad that has had a lot of personnel issues. As a consequence, he’s on the verge of doing something remarkable.
Dosunmu is set to become the sixth rookie second-round selection in the previous 25 years to average at least 25 minutes for a playoff club, according to ESPN’s Jamal Collier. Malcolm Brogdon, the 2016-17 Rookie of the Year and current Indiana Pacers guard, is on that list.
Billy Donovan, the head coach of the Chicago Bulls, praised the rookie guard for his ability to adjust on the fly.
“If he didn’t do well, people would say, ‘It’s anticipated, he’s a young man, it’ll take some time,’” Donovan told ESPN. “However, he’s replied to everything.”
Dosunmu’s Bulls teammates now consider him as a future star. Both Zach LaVine and Draymond Green praised him as the draft’s best value. This season, Dosunmu has proven a lot of scouts incorrect.
Dosunmu, on the other hand, must prepare for another job shift before realizing his star potential. That is, if the Bulls ever get healthy.
Returning to the bench?
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Lonzo Ball is still a long way off from returning to the floor. When he does, though, Dosunmu must demonstrate the versatility that has made him such an important member of this Bulls squad.
Dosunmu’s two-way talents have been on show since his introduction to the starting lineup, but he may be even more vital when he comes off the bench. Ayo has the potential to play as a combo guard among other starters. In the second unit, he may also function as the main ball-handler.
Dosunmu has done an excellent job at filling the starting point guard position. He’ll have cemented his legacy in the NBA. However, if the Bulls want to make a long postseason run, he’ll have to prepare for a smaller role.
Basketball Reference and CBB Reference provided the statistics.
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