Ayo Dosunmu will decide how far the Chicago Bulls can go.
At a time when there is some uncertainty around the Bulls, they can take some comfort in the fact that they’ve got a potentially great player in Ayo Dosunmu within their ranks. He started 40 games as a rookie for the franchise last season, and during that period he rushed a lot of his shots and passes, and his eagerness to help led to a lot of erratic play.
But you could see Dosunmu had something, especially on the defensive end. He has a solid build and had no problem banging with players bigger than him. The desire to get back and defend when opponents were in transition was evident as well, and you really got the sense he was an annoying player to go up against.
In year two, we are already seeing the next steps in the evolution of Dosunmu and how important he could soon be for the franchise. There is more poise and less of a rush to get things done when he is in possession of the basketball. In the aforementioned win over the Heat, Dosunmu had a steady 17 points to be the second-highest scorer on the team after DeRozan’s scorching 37.
Dosunmu plays next to Alex Caruso in the backcourt, and that is a fearsome defensive duo at those positions. Caruso has had his fair share of injuries in the past, meaning the importance of Dosunmu will only increase should he miss more time again. At only 23, the future is extremely bright for him. Could he have the highest upside of any young player on the team?
A lot of talk has been made about Patrick Williams, and how he could easily replace Vucevic if he doesn’t stick around. But because of his own injury woes, Dosunmu is actually the safest bet at this stage to become a crucial player for the Bulls. In reality, he is already that, and talk of him being the Most Improved Player of the Year will begin if his current form continues.