Ayo Dosunmu has big decision to make about NBA

[201154JC]

I watch this guy Ayo and don't believe what I'm seeing. Fast, ball-control, good passer, not afraid of going to the basket, shooting off-balance and making the shots. In short, a winner. No, he's not Jordan (who is?), but Ayo has similar gifts. Thanks, Ayo, for everything and for being a Fighting Illini.

I think you are spot in comparing Ayo to MJ. Yes, he's not as tall and does not have equivalent leaping ability, however, he lives for the moment and delivers. Watching him go to the hole is a joy and when he needs to get his own shot it happens. Very similar build, all arms and legs.

 

[illinibballfan]

I think you are spot in comparing Ayo to MJ. Yes, he's not as tall and does not have equivalent leaping ability, however, he lives for the moment and delivers. Watching him go to the hole is a joy and when he needs to get his own shot it happens. Very similar build, all arms and legs.

I love Ayo, but c'mon guys this quarantine must be getting to you. Jordan comparison? Kobe and LeBron are the only ones on the Fringe of the same conversation as Jordan for me. Call me after Ayo leads his team to a first NBA championship.

As for the draft, I'm not sure how it'll play out, but I always thought the best route for Ayo was to put his name in, go through the process, see what feedback he got and then if he got a promise or a projection for the first round, then pull the trigger. If he wasn't a lock for the first, he should come back for another year.

Next year would think he'd have a legit chance at the lottery with a strong season and improved shooting from 3 (and may have this year if this virus didn't ruin the momentum he was building).

 

[Elgin7680]

I like Ayo a lot but lets not compare him to probably the greatest player of all time, that is going way to far.

 

[eMitch]

He said he's NOT Jordan.

 

[Illini in OC]

I like Ayo a lot but lets not compare him to probably the greatest player of all time, that is going way to far.

I think we can agree that Ayo is no MJ23.

Even so, Ayo is crazy fast in the open floor, goes to the hole fearlessly and always wants the ball at crunch time. Very MJ.
Ayo is a class act but I get the sense he likes to mix it up and talk a little trash throughout the game.... Very Very MJ.
Ayo is not afraid of work and seems to have a chip on his shoulder (hate that cliche) which will make him continue to improve. "WhyNotMe" Very Very Very MJ

MJ became a great defender, an excellent 3P shooter and completely transformed his body to take the pounding. Remember MJ was an awesome player but never got out of the East until his 7th season. By this time, MJ had helped groom Scottie Pippen and had became a freaking assassin. His game expanded every year... improving the old and adding new. Recall David Halberstam's book where he characterized MJ something like: "MJ is the best player in the NBA,, but he is the ultimate overachiever... MJ continues to further distance himself from everyone else every day."

It's this comparison to MJ to be most apt for Ayo. I look forward to seeing Ayo in another 5 years.

 

[Illini in Indiana]

Ayo is a great college player, and will be one of the most loved Illini players. With that said, he does have what it takes to compete in the NBA from what I've seen this year. He has the "extra burst" of speed that others don't have and is a clutch player. His mid range is there, but will have to work on his D and 3 point shot (and he will put in the work). I think he will get playing time too in the NBA. IMO, he will be a borderline starter to 6th or 7th man, and damn that would be great for him and his family.

 

[ktal]

I think there's an unpredictable variable impacting the stay or go decision. I suspect there's going to be a glut in next year's draft with higher than normal rollovers from this year, all the usual draft prospects already in next year's class, and possibly a larger-than-usual number of kids trying to go early. If I had the choice between this year's draft or next year's, I would pick this year's. Pool won't be as deep as (I think) it will be next year.

 

[kiwanegarris22]

I love Ayo, but c'mon guys this quarantine must be getting to you. Jordan comparison? Kobe and LeBron are the only ones on the Fringe of the same conversation as Jordan for me. Call me after Ayo leads his team to a first NBA championship.

As for the draft, I'm not sure how it'll play out, but I always thought the best route for Ayo was to put his name in, go through the process, see what feedback he got and then if he got a promise or a projection for the first round, then pull the trigger. If he wasn't a lock for the first, he should come back for another year.

Next year would think he'd have a legit chance at the lottery with a strong season and improved shooting from 3 (and may have this year if this virus didn't ruin the momentum he was building).

I agree. Your comments are spot on. Still, there's a 75% Ayo departs.

 

[Calvin]

I'm with the herd on this one. I think he goes. He's a hard worker and has everything you want in a player, with the caveat that his outside shot isn't where you'd want it for a scoring guard. Some team out there wants a guard who can drive at a high level, push the pace, play smart, and provide some leadership. If he stays, will he up his stock go up enough for the year he stays? Possibly, but I think he's better to leave now and risk a borderline first round situation.

 

[PtownIllini8]

I like Ayo a lot but lets not compare him to probably the greatest player of all time, that is going way to far.

You could compare the two by saying both had the ability to rise up and make shots in huge moments. That's a huge trait both have, but we'd only be comparing the two in that respect.

 

[wyckles]

I think he has the potential to be a decent NBA player but he isn't in any of the mock drafts for the first round and you never know what could happen in the second round. I think his stats in a tough conference compare favorably to the top five point guards in the draft though. If he isn't a lock to be drafted, then he should come back next year. It seems he isn't a lock.

 

[othawhitemeat]

I think his pro status truly depends on his development of 3 point shot. If he can be a 35% 3 point shooter on decent volume, he could be a really good player. He plays extremely hard, has developed many moves to get to mid range, very fast and that works well in open court, good d, excellent passer, and solid rebounder. However, if he does not develop a shot, I can see him being a 15 mpg bench player as he simply is not an elit ball athlete, which is still a good player. Now 15 years ago, I think he would have been an all star player with his midrange.

 

[Lucy 727]

Mark Schanowski of nbcsports.com has him going to Miami with the 28th pick to play next to Kendrick Nunn. Check twitter.

 

[Illinoiz]

My guess is Ayo HAS a very good three-point shot. But that was not his role this season at Illinois. Get the ball to him and see what happens seemed to be the plan. And did Ayo come through!

If I were an NBA scout I'd say draft him. Hate to say that; sad that we may not see him again at Illinois.

 

[oldschool51]

I said this months ago Ayo is a very good player but he is not better than Deron and he stayed 3 years hell i might be wrong

 

[illinibballfan]

I think we can agree that Ayo is no MJ23.

Even so, Ayo is crazy fast in the open floor, goes to the hole fearlessly and always wants the ball at crunch time. Very MJ.
Ayo is a class act but I get the sense he likes to mix it up and talk a little trash throughout the game.... Very Very MJ.
Ayo is not afraid of work and seems to have a chip on his shoulder (hate that cliche) which will make him continue to improve. "WhyNotMe" Very Very Very MJ

MJ became a great defender, an excellent 3P shooter and completely transformed his body to take the pounding. Remember MJ was an awesome player but never got out of the East until his 7th season. By this time, MJ had helped groom Scottie Pippen and had became a freaking assassin. His game expanded every year... improving the old and adding new. Recall David Halberstam's book where he characterized MJ something like: "MJ is the best player in the NBA,, but he is the ultimate overachiever... MJ continues to further distance himself from everyone else every day."

It's this comparison to MJ to be most apt for Ayo. I look forward to seeing Ayo in another 5 years.

If that’s the bar you’re holding, there’s thousands in history in that category with MJ. Frank Williams had a lot of the same qualities. I ain’t comparing him to MJ. Frank was a killer on the floor in the clutch and had more championship pedigree coming from Manual and having more team success in college. The NBA is just a different level.

 

[illinibballfan]

Mark Schanowski of nbcsports.com has him going to Miami with the 28th pick to play next to Kendrick Nunn. Check twitter.

I’ll wait for the big boys to put him in a mock. Don’t think Mark has seen enough if Ayo’s competition in the draft.

 

[TCTORNADO]

I’ll wait for the big boys to put him in a mock. Don’t think Mark has seen enough if Ayo’s competition in the draft.

LOL, be careful now, when I mentioned that, some dude on here wished I get gangrene. Crazy times!!

 

[UpstateRusty]

If Ayo goes next year, even if not in the first round he will make at least a half a million dollars. That would be VERY hard to pass up. I am not an athlete, but I would not take a chance on an injury by staying in the NCAA for another year.

 

[Hopingfor500]

My guess is Ayo HAS a very good three-point shot. But that was not his role this season at Illinois. Get the ball to him and see what happens seemed to be the plan. And did Ayo come through!

If I were an NBA scout I'd say draft him. Hate to say that; sad that we may not see him again at Illinois.

If I am completely honest, completely objective, regarding Ayo.....he's a mid second rounder, at best, and probably a career backup in the NBA....at best.

Keep in mind, this team did not play well until they took Ayo off the ball. His ball handling left a lot to be desired. Way, way too many live ball turnovers. When TF was on the ball, turnovers sharply went down and the offense was more fluid. There's no way Ayo is an NBA PG. Nothing we've seen for two years indicates that he can play that role at the highest level.

Now, you look at the 2. Let's be honest, his shooting(per 40 minutes) was poor. He's not a great shooter, he's not a great scorer, he's not a great athlete (by NBA standards)....I'd put him in the "crafty" category. He's not going to go up and jam on anybody, but from 15 feet and has a knack for finding an open shot. He's got a very good mid-range game, but that's prehistoric in today's NBA.

At 6'5", his size is his #1 asset
His heart and confidence is #2.

I think he's a guy that's a really, really good college player. His size allowed him to get a game winner off vs Michigan. He shot that ball over Simpson, a small guard, and again, he didn't get great lift and a clean look. He got the shot off darn near coming down because Simpson was right in his face. Again, crafty. Can he get that shot off vs a 6'4" NBA guard with NBA athleticism?

The NCAA Tournament would have been a huge boost to his stock because he would have been on the national stage, in a high pressure situation and he would have gotten to show what he could do on the games biggest stage.

Now, I think he's going to the NBA regardless of feedback because I think he had his mind made up before the 2019-2020 season. That was the plan from the get go. He's a kid that needs another year to show that he can be a three level scorer. As of this second, I don't think he's shown that(YET) and I think his draft position is going to reflect that.

Now, the other question that nobody asks is...what position can he guard? Can he stay in front of an NBA point guard? Can he not get backed down when isolated against by an NBA 2? This is not strong physical guy.

We love Ayo, just like we loved Dee and Frank. He's an Illinois legend. He made this season exciting as avid fans. I hope he lives his dreams and makes millions. I think he needs more time to work on his ball skills and obviously his shooting. That's not going to happen, but it's what should happen.

Looking at Adam Miller. That's an NBA body, with NBA athleticism, with NBA range on this jumper and with the ability to finish at the rack. He has those physical gifts....we'll see if he has the intangibles gifted to Ayo.

Just my opinion when trying to take off the O & B goggles, suit, socks and undies.

 

[Hopingfor500]

If Ayo goes next year, even if not in the first round he will make at least a half a million dollars. That would be VERY hard to pass up. I am not an athlete, but I would not take a chance on an injury by staying in the NCAA for another year.

Bingo. The injury would be my concern. That Michigan State game has to weigh into the decision. I don't think he's a first round pick in any event, but a serious injury there would have brought him back to college or put him in Europe. A return to school is the right answer, but I don't think it will end up being the answer.

 

[Ga65]

If I am completely honest, completely objective, regarding Ayo.....he's a mid second rounder, at best, and probably a career backup in the NBA....at best.

Keep in mind, this team did not play well until they took Ayo off the ball. His ball handling left a lot to be desired. Way, way too many live ball turnovers. When TF was on the ball, turnovers sharply went down and the offense was more fluid. There's no way Ayo is an NBA PG. Nothing we've seen for two years indicates that he can play that role at the highest level.

Now, you look at the 2. Let's be honest, his shooting(per 40 minutes) was poor. He's not a great shooter, he's not a great scorer, he's not a great athlete (by NBA standards)....I'd put him in the "crafty" category. He's not going to go up and jam on anybody, but from 15 feet and has a knack for finding an open shot. He's got a very good mid-range game, but that's prehistoric in today's NBA.

At 6'5", his size is his #1 asset
His heart and confidence is #2.

I think he's a guy that's a really, really good college player. His size allowed him to get a game winner off vs Michigan. He shot that ball over Simpson, a small guard, and again, he didn't get great lift and a clean look. He got the shot off darn near coming down because Simpson was right in his face. Again, crafty. Can he get that shot off vs a 6'4" NBA guard with NBA athleticism?

The NCAA Tournament would have been a huge boost to his stock because he would have been on the national stage, in a high pressure situation and he would have gotten to show what he could do on the games biggest stage.

Now, I think he's going to the NBA regardless of feedback because I think he had his mind made up before the 2019-2020 season. That was the plan from the get go. He's a kid that needs another year to show that he can be a three level scorer. As of this second, I don't think he's shown that(YET) and I think his draft position is going to reflect that.

Now, the other question that nobody asks is...what position can he guard? Can he stay in front of an NBA point guard? Can he not get backed down when isolated against by an NBA 2? This is not strong physical guy.

We love Ayo, just like we loved Dee and Frank. He's an Illinois legend. He made this season exciting as avid fans. I hope he lives his dreams and makes millions. I think he needs more time to work on his ball skills and obviously his shooting. That's not going to happen, but it's what should happen.

Looking at Adam Miller. That's an NBA body, with NBA athleticism, with NBA range on this jumper and with the ability to finish at the rack. He has those physical gifts....we'll see if he has the intangibles gifted to Ayo.

Just my opinion when trying to take off the O & B goggles, suit, socks and undies.

Maybe not there but compare him to K. Nunn at the same stage and he looks pretty good. Have had discussions before on athleticism but his speed and quickness put him at a pretty high level. He will need to add strength and weight but looks to have the frame for it. His mid range shooting will extend to three point range with practice. Not a Steve Kerr shooter but reasonable. He has a work ethic and an attitude to succeed that I would not discount.

 

[BTM33]

If I am completely honest, completely objective, regarding Ayo.....he's a mid second rounder, at best, and probably a career backup in the NBA....at best.

Keep in mind, this team did not play well until they took Ayo off the ball. His ball handling left a lot to be desired. Way, way too many live ball turnovers. When TF was on the ball, turnovers sharply went down and the offense was more fluid. There's no way Ayo is an NBA PG. Nothing we've seen for two years indicates that he can play that role at the highest level.

Now, you look at the 2. Let's be honest, his shooting(per 40 minutes) was poor. He's not a great shooter, he's not a great scorer, he's not a great athlete (by NBA standards)....I'd put him in the "crafty" category. He's not going to go up and jam on anybody, but from 15 feet and has a knack for finding an open shot. He's got a very good mid-range game, but that's prehistoric in today's NBA.

At 6'5", his size is his #1 asset
His heart and confidence is #2.

I think he's a guy that's a really, really good college player. His size allowed him to get a game winner off vs Michigan. He shot that ball over Simpson, a small guard, and again, he didn't get great lift and a clean look. He got the shot off darn near coming down because Simpson was right in his face. Again, crafty. Can he get that shot off vs a 6'4" NBA guard with NBA athleticism?

The NCAA Tournament would have been a huge boost to his stock because he would have been on the national stage, in a high pressure situation and he would have gotten to show what he could do on the games biggest stage.

Now, I think he's going to the NBA regardless of feedback because I think he had his mind made up before the 2019-2020 season. That was the plan from the get go. He's a kid that needs another year to show that he can be a three level scorer. As of this second, I don't think he's shown that(YET) and I think his draft position is going to reflect that.

Now, the other question that nobody asks is...what position can he guard? Can he stay in front of an NBA point guard? Can he not get backed down when isolated against by an NBA 2? This is not strong physical guy.

We love Ayo, just like we loved Dee and Frank. He's an Illinois legend. He made this season exciting as avid fans. I hope he lives his dreams and makes millions. I think he needs more time to work on his ball skills and obviously his shooting. That's not going to happen, but it's what should happen.

Looking at Adam Miller. That's an NBA body, with NBA athleticism, with NBA range on this jumper and with the ability to finish at the rack. He has those physical gifts....we'll see if he has the intangibles gifted to Ayo.

Just my opinion when trying to take off the O & B goggles, suit, socks and undies.

I can't agree with this more. I love Ayo, but he is being overrated a bit here (with good intentions).

I have him rated juuuust a bit higher then you though. The one thing he is VERY good at is transition play. He is terrific with a head of steam and being able to manuever around defends and spin the ball off the board to transition points. At 6'5", NBA scouts will love his speed, length and body control. I think if he sticks in the NBA it has to be at PG because he just isnt a good enough shooter. I think we did see hints of pull up game, but his shot form is just kinda...eh. He doesn't get great elevation on his shot and the form isn't as consistent as you would like. There is defensive potential, but only at PG because he would have a height and length advantage. But at PG I completely agree on the ball handling, that HAS to get better if he carves out a career for himself. He did show improvement from Freshman to Sophomore year, but it wasn't as big of a jump as I would have liked to see, so I think he has potential left, but unsure how much.

I have him ranked right at the top of the second round, and maybe a team a team takes a chance at the very bottom of the first. I do think he gets drafted, but he'll really have to improve to stick. And I hope with all my heart that he does.

 

[Illinisoccer]

Maybe not there but compare him to K. Nunn at the same stage and he looks pretty good. Have had discussions before on athleticism but his speed and quickness put him at a pretty high level. He will need to add strength and weight but looks to have the frame for it. His mid range shooting will extend to three point range with practice. Not a Steve Kerr shooter but reasonable. He has a work ethic and an attitude to succeed that I would not discount.

K Nunn is way more athletic than Ayo. K Nunn would finish at the rim with dunks. K Nunn is a vastly superior shooter from deep. Ball handling is probably even. K Nunn is listed as a PG but plays off the ball a lot since Jimmy Butler dominates the rock. Ayo has a great pull up and is creative finishing at the rim along with being a closer. I don’t think that gets you to the first round. As pointed out, he is not strong enough ball handling and facilitating to be a PG and not a strong enough shooter to play SG.
I think he could have a similar route to Patrick Beverly. He ends up in Europe working on his defense and 3 point shooting and ends up being a role player in the league after proving himself.

 

[haasi]

I think Ayo can be a legit good NBA player but needs to make a lot of progress to get there. Lucky for him, the things he needs to improve on can all be developed - strength, handle, shooting. He’s got great size, quickness, and instincts, and he’s already developed some very good skills- terrific in transition, and a very good mid range pull up.