Fantasy Basketball pick-up No. 3: Ayo Dosunmu is the real deal.
Starting in place of the oft-injured Lonzo Ball for the Chicago Bulls, combo guard Ayo Dosunmu is a treat to watch. The 6-foot-5 sophomore oozes intensity, playing a physical brand of basketball that’s expertly complimented by skill and high IQ decision-making. He is a willing passer, fearless shooter and developed from a high-impact role player to a star in college. That’s going to help him in boatloads while growing into his place in the NBA.
Dosunmu stuffed the stat sheet in the first game of his second year with 17 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block while tying DeMar DeRozan for the game-high in minutes. Head coach Billy Donovan trusts his young guard to be the piece connecting his starters and bench unit, which allows him to play more on-ball in spurts.
There’s no telling if or when Lonzo will return to the team, and there’s not much competition for Ayo’s minutes. The other guards — Alex Caruso, Coby White and Goran Dragic — each played 19 or more minutes. None of them left much of an impression, so even with other players in his position in the mix, Dosunmu is trusted as one of his team’s leaders.
Star Zach LaVine will return to the lineup soon, but even then, the team already named Ayo the starting point guard for this season.