Ayo Dosunmu was born in Chicago to a Nigerian father and African-American mother. He descends from the Yoruba people in Nigeria, and his name Ayo means "joy" in the Yoruba language. Dosunmu began his high school career at Chicago's Westinghouse College Prep, where he helped lead the Warriors to a 2015 conference championship against Al Raby High School and scored a season-high 40 points against Crane High School as a freshman,[1][2] earning Chicago Sun-Times All-City Accolades. Dosunmu transferred after his freshman year to Morgan Park. During his junior year, Dosunmu led the Mustangs to a 3A State Championship, although he was unable to play in the championship game due to injury. In his senior year, Dosunmu led the Mustangs once again to a state championship, in which he scored 28 points; breaking an IHSA record for points scored in a championship game.
In March 2018, Dosunmu was named one of 26 high school seniors who participated in the Jordan Brand Classic on April 8, 2018, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.[3] Dosunmu is the third Illini to be selected to play in the Jordan Classic, joining Dee Brown who played for the Red team in 2002 and Jalen Coleman-Lands who played in 2015.[4] Dosunmu was also selected to play in the second annual Iverson Roundball Classic All-American Game in April 2018 at Souderton Area High School outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[5] During his senior season, Dosunmu averaged 25.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 2.7 steals, leading Morgan Park to a second-straight IHSA Class 3A championship.[6][7] Dosunmu was also named a Consensus first-team All-State selection by the Associated Press, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Champaign News-Gazette and Illinois Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA) following his senior season.
Dosunmu with Illinois in 2020Dosunmu (left) with Illinois in 2020
2018–19 season
Dosunmu made his college debut on November 8, 2018, against Evansville, recording 18 points on 8-of-15 shooting, with six rebounds, four assists and three steals.[9] Following the season, Dosunmu was named to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team and was named as an honorable mention for the All-Big 10 Team.[10] He averaged 13.8 points and 3.3 assists per game as a freshman.[11]
2019–20 season
Dosunmu hit a last-second jump shot in a 64–62 win over Michigan on January 25, 2020, and finished with 27 points.[12] On February 11, Dosunmu was injured late in a 70–69 loss to Michigan State.[13] Despite an MRI showing no structural damage, Dosunmu missed the following game against Rutgers.[14] In his return from injury, Dosunmu scored 24 points in a 62–56 win at Penn State.[15] At the close of the regular season, Dosunmu was named to the First Team All-Big Ten by the media and Second Team by the coaches.[16] As a sophomore, Dosunmu averaged 16.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game.[17] Following the season, Dosunmu declared for the 2020 NBA draft.[18] Dosunmu withdrew from the draft to return to Illinois for his junior season on July 31, 2020.[19]
2020–21 season
In his junior season debut on November 25, 2020, Dosunmu recorded 28 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a 122–60 win against North Carolina A&T.[20] On December 12, he scored a career-high 36 points in an 81–78 loss to Missouri.[21] On February 6, 2021, he became the third player in program history to register a triple-double, with 21 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists in a 75–60 victory over Wisconsin.[22] On February 20, Dosunmu recorded his second triple-double, with 19 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a 94–63 win over Minnesota.[23] On February 23, Dosunmu suffered a broken nose during an 81–72 loss to Michigan State.[24] On March 14, he recorded 16 points and nine rebounds in a 91–88 win over Ohio State in the Big Ten Men's Basketball Championship game. He was named the Big Ten tournament Most Outstanding Player.[25] Dosunmu was a consensus first-team All-American and won the Bob Cousy Award as top point guard in the nation.[26] On April 6, 2021, Dosunmu declared for the 2021 NBA draft, ending his three-year career with Illinois.[27]
Legacy
On January 6, 2022, Dosunmu's number 11 was honored by the Illini.[28]
Professional career
Dosunmu was selected in the second round of the 2021 NBA draft with the 38th pick by his hometown team, the Chicago Bulls.[29] On August 18, 2021, the Chicago Bulls announced that they had signed Dosunmu.[30] On December 8, 2021, Dosunmu entered the starting lineup for the Bulls. He scored 11 points along with six rebounds and eight assists in a 109–97 victory over the Denver Nuggets.[31] On January 25, 2022, Dosunmu opened with nine consecutive made field goals, surpassing Orlando Woolridge's Bulls rookie record of eight.[32]
On December 21, 2022, Dosunmu put up a buzzer-beating, game-winning putback in a 110–108 win over the Atlanta Hawks.[33] On July 23, 2023, he re-signed with the Chicago Bulls.[34]
On February 12, 2024, Dosunmu scored a then career-high 29 points, with a season-high seven assists, in a 136–126 win against the Atlanta Hawks.[35] On March 16, Dosunmu scored a career-high 34 points in a 127–98 win over the Washington Wizards.[36]
On December 5, 2024, Dosunmu achieved his first career triple-double with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists, in a 139-124 win over the San Antonio Spurs.[37]
