Ayo Dosunmu wins the 2021 Bob Cousy Award

#6      
He still got jobbed on the player of the year award. But a great honor...way to go Ayo!
 
#11      
Joins some pretty good company. Congratulations Ayo!

Season Player School Class
2003–04 Jameer Nelson* Saint Joseph's Senior
2004–05 Raymond Felton North Carolina Junior
2005–06 Dee Brown Illinois Senior
2006–07 Acie Law Texas A&M Senior
2007–08 D. J. Augustin Texas Sophomore
2008–09 Ty Lawson North Carolina Junior
2009–10 Greivis Vásquez Maryland Senior
2010–11 Kemba Walker Connecticut Junior
2011–12 Kendall Marshall North Carolina Sophomore
2012–13 Trey Burke* Michigan Sophomore
2013–14 Shabazz Napier Connecticut Senior
2014–15 Delon Wright Utah Senior
2015–16 Tyler Ulis Kentucky Sophomore
2016–17 Frank Mason III* Kansas Senior
2017–18 Jalen Brunson*[4] Villanova Junior
2018–19 Ja Morant Murray State Sophomore
2019–20 Payton Pritchard Oregon Senior
2020–21 Ayo Dosunmu Illinois Junior
 
#16      

201154JC

Rockford, IL
He was beautiful to watch. He defined poetry in motion. Cliche well applied.
 
#18      

illini80

Forgottonia
So glad to see him get some of what he worked so hard for. I still feel like things would have ended differently if not for the inexcusable mauling he never recovered from.
 
#19      
Joins some pretty good company. Congratulations Ayo!

Season Player School Class
2003–04 Jameer Nelson* Saint Joseph's Senior
2004–05 Raymond Felton North Carolina Junior
2005–06 Dee Brown Illinois Senior
2006–07 Acie Law Texas A&M Senior
2007–08 D. J. Augustin Texas Sophomore
2008–09 Ty Lawson North Carolina Junior
2009–10 Greivis Vásquez Maryland Senior
2010–11 Kemba Walker Connecticut Junior
2011–12 Kendall Marshall North Carolina Sophomore
2012–13 Trey Burke* Michigan Sophomore
2013–14 Shabazz Napier Connecticut Senior
2014–15 Delon Wright Utah Senior
2015–16 Tyler Ulis Kentucky Sophomore
2016–17 Frank Mason III* Kansas Senior
2017–18 Jalen Brunson*[4] Villanova Junior
2018–19 Ja Morant Murray State Sophomore
2019–20 Payton Pritchard Oregon Senior
2020–21 Ayo Dosunmu Illinois Junior
Awesome, well deserved and congrats!

UNC with 3 on this list
Illinois and UConn with 2

Would be nice to get the association of PGU AND CU

Curbelo could win this next year. KC can come back and win NPOY! Why not?
 
#21      
As great a ballplayer as Ayo is... he seems even better as a human being. A testament to him, his family and friends, his coaches, anyone and everyone who had a positive influence on this young man. He does the Illini proud on and off the court. It will be fun to see where he goes with his life going forward. Via con Dios, Amigo.

And Bob Cousy would be happy to see his legacy recognized with such a young man.
 
#22      
Well said everyone.
Love his work ethic, his dedication, HIS COMMITMENT.
He did what he said he wanted to do.
He stayed home. He accomplished a big ten tournament title (should have been co-champions) got Illinois a number seed, turned a program around and made Illinois basketball relevant again. What else can we ask for from his young man(other than one more year😬😬).
He is deserving. Joins great company. Will be a first round pick and fulfill his dreams. He was so RIGHT. You don’t have to go to Duke, or Kentucky to fulfill your dreams.
You can stay home and represent your state school and become a legend.
Too bad certain others on this team can’t realize that!
Ayo did it the right way. He honored his commitment. He got in the weight room and changed his body. He worked on his game and got better every year, staying in school were he could benefit from being able to focus on these things. These kids who jump to the g-league or try to go pro too early are going for the short cut which often leads to bouncing around league after league. Those leagues are a business. You are expected to be an adult at 18/19 years old. It’s perform or go home. Few have that discipline or the emotional maturity to be on there own and be in a business environment.
Ayo was wise to do what he did.
And one day his jersey will hang in the rafters in Champaign and it’s well deserved.
Forever Ayo. Great job.
And congratulations to him and his family.