INDIANAPOLIS — The Dosunmus strategically installed a whiteboard next to the pantry in their family home. ET. They drove to Champaign when Dosunmu turned 21 on Jan. 17, beeping the car horn and singing “Happy Birthday” from across the street before driving back to Chicago. “Everyone has a role,” Jamarra said. He has no fear of greedy financial representatives or hangers-on taking advantage of him as he takes the step into a professional career. “His situation is unique and it is very, very supportive on all fronts,” Underwood said. Because of COVID-19 protocols restricting fan attendance, this is the first season the family hasn’t been at every Illinois game. We all know what our goals are, the whole family. Dosunmu, per The Athletic's Brian Hamilton, suffered a broken nose and has been fitted with a mask. He always does. Don’t forget the goal.”. He descends from the Yoruba people in Nigeria and his nickname “Ayo” means joy in Yoruba language. This page was last edited on 11 March 2021, at 02:48. [23], In May 2018, Dosunmu was among the 32 players who earned an invitation to the training camp at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado for USA Basketball Men's U18 National Team in preparation for the 2018 FIBA Under-18 Americas Championship. A crafty combo guard who has the ball on a string and controls the pace of the game, Ayo has ideal size for the position at 6-5 and is emerging as a big time prospect. Can you choose? [Most read in Sports] Column: Robot umpires might be coming soon to a ballpark near you. 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. In ad… Someone has probably tried to creep in and give their opinion, but it never gets to me. “Nobody got fired,” Jamarra joked. I’m like, that is not going to be the case. [8] Dosunmu signed his National Letter of Intent in November 2017 to attend Illinois. Ayo Dosunmu’s Dominant Junior Season. He has led third-ranked Illinois (20-6) to its best season in more than a decade. Dosunmmu 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. When Dosunmu moves on to NBA draft preparation, he’ll surround himself with Team Dosunmu again. Based on +20 games played this season. He skipped the eighth-grade AAU circuit to work out with his dad before high school with a goal to make the city’s all-freshman team. Garza and Dosunmu were unanimous choices for spots … There, the 39-year-old’s husband said May had locked herself in their room after an argument and hadn’t spoken to him or their three kids all day. They’ll first try to win the Big Ten Tournament this week in Indianapolis, starting with Friday’s quarterfinals after earning a double bye as the No. He played video games and went to basketball practice. Moreover, he is just 20 years old. As a professional basketball player, it isn’t a surprise that he possesses a promising physique. Naismith winner. Illinois basketball star Ayo Dosunmu is out indefinitely with a broken nose that was suffered on a dirty play against Michigan State. “How do you want the school year to look?” Jamarra Dosunmu said she asked her children. Measurements: 6’5” / 185lb. Latest on Illinois Fighting Illini guard Ayo Dosunmu including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN Where did the time go? [17] Following the season, Dosunmu declared for the 2020 NBA draft. “It was overwhelming. Mom is the media coordinator. “We’re the board.”. 4 takeaways from Illinois' 70–69 loss to Michigan State", "Dosunmu won't play at Rutgers; Griffin starts for Bezhanishvili", "Dosunmu scores 24, Illinois beats No. Ayo Dosunmu, the dynamic Illinois guard who has raised expectations in Champaign, is surrounded by a family that has made it their business to support each other’s goals. I’m pumped.’, [Most read in Sports] Mark Giangreco is out after a 26-year run as ABC-7′s lead sportscaster. “We talk and make great decisions about what would be the best thing for me,” Dosunmu said. He joined Magic Johnson as the only Big Ten players to record two triple-doubles in one season during conference play. Dosunmu struggled offensively throughout much of last nights game against Northwestern, but when it matter the most, he knocked down back-to-back three pointers in the final 80 seconds of the game to clinch the sixth … NBA DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT. Beyonce Knowles’ family helped manage her early singing career. “He’s goal-oriented. 7 Ohio State at 4 p.m. His height is around 1.96 meters and has a bodyweight of 84 kg. first-team All-Big Ten selection this week. The extended family includes lawyers and public relations experts who are ready with recommendations. Ayo Dosunmu will end that drought, but when? Ayo Dosunmu put on an all black outfit when he woke up to go to school on October 19, 2017. In one of the most entertaining games of the Big Ten season, the teams traded leads for most of the game. Dosunmu, a unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection this week, has already cemented a legacy at Illinois. There are four games left on the Fighting Illini’s schedule. “We’ve been delegated to certain roles. They block all of that out.” Ayo Dosunmu, front left, with his family: clockwise from top left, sister Khadijat, mother Jamarra, sister Joselynn, brother Yakub and father Quam, center. G. Class. HT/WT. There was no teenage rebellion in Dosunmu, his parents said. Ayo Dosunmu was born in Chicago to Nigerian immigrants. CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Ayo Dosunmu scored 25 points, Trent Frazier had 24 and No. He descends from the Yoruba people in Nigeria and his nickname “Ayo” means joy in Yoruba language. When Ayo expressed in sixth grade he wanted to become an NBA player one day, it was all Quam needed to hear. [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. You hear horror stories, this top player from Chicago, and then something always happens that knocks them off. The junior, whose recruitment out of Morgan Park was a prescient signal the Illini were on the upswing, has the program on course for its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2013. Chicago, Illinois native, Ayo Dosunmu is still a college basketball player who has played for the Illinois Fighting Illini since entering his college year. Ayo grew up attending their extracurricular activities and celebrating their victories. They support you no matter what you want to do.”. 54.9 TS% on 26.5 USG% Background: First Team All Big Ten… Big Ten All … Stories abound of promising Chicago high school basketball stars who never make it . [20] On December 12, he scored a career-high 36 points in an 81–78 loss to Missouri. Even if Ayo fails to reach his potential, the possibility of being a high character guy on the bench still exists. If one Dosunmu wins, they all win. That’s why I’m so grateful to have those resources in my family. Me being the baby, all the love calculated up and they’re there for me. Head coach Brad Underwood says that Dosunmu remains day-to-day ahead of that game. “Whatever you decide, I’m going to hold you accountable.”. [Most read in Sports] Column: Illinois completes Step 1 of what it hopes is a long journey with a 90-68 rout of Rutgers in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals, [Most read in Sports] Mark Giangreco is in limbo at ABC-7 after the sportscaster’s on-air line about casting anchor Cheryl Burton as a ‘ditzy, combative’ reality TV character, Big Ten Tournament Day 3: Michigan coach Juwan Howard gets ejected as the top-seeded Wolverines beat Maryland 79-66; Luka Garza and Iowa advance to face Illinois, Column: Illinois completes Step 1 of what it hopes is a long journey with a 90-68 rout of Rutgers in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals. The Illini guard appears on track to do both. Grandma calls twice a week for hourlong Bible studies. His just 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. Column: Archie Miller might be nearing the end as Indiana men’s basketball coach. Absent injured national player of the year candidate Ayo Dosunmu, No. “I don’t need to go outside (of them) for anything. “There’s no sibling rivalry,” he said. “I just wanted to go out and play as hard as I can each and every day so when it was time for March, when fans can come, they’ll be watching a great show,” he said. You (weren’t) going to see him without me around. The family studied how parents of famous prodigies guided their children. Column: The end of Cuomo: Cui bono? About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features © 2021 Google LLC Morgan Park guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) looks at a newspaper after his team defeated Fenwick 69-67 in overtime to win the Class 3A state championship March 18, 2017, at Carver Arena in Peoria. He preferred to skip high school parties to wake at 5:30 a.m. for conditioning runs with his dad and brother. If I were the Mavericks, I’d take a chance on Dosunmu with their only pick in the draft. Not only that, the Illini appear likely to receive a No. 1 seed Sunday and have legitimate national championship hopes. Last year, his family got practice. The Dosunmus also noted how hands-on Oprah Winfrey was in her career ascension and financial success. He does not have a lot of distractions. “There are so many wolves out there. Health experts say not to hold out for a certain vaccine. New goals for the family to set. [24], "2018 Illinois Fighting Illini Recruiting Class", https://chicago.suntimes.com/2016/4/8/18490109/michael-o-8217-brien-8217-s-notebook-april-8-2016, https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports-saturday/2019/5/11/18619086/from-chicago-with-joy-ayo-dosunmu-s-name-and-game-are-fueling-illini-rise, "2nd Annual Iverson Classic to Feature Shareef O'Neal, Mac McClung, and More High School Stars", "Illinois recruit Ayo Dosunmu leads Morgan Park to second straight Class 3A state title", "Ayo Dosunmu commitment changes the outlook of Illinois basketball", "Ayo Dosunmu lives up to billing in Illinois debut with 18 points in 99-60 rout of Evansville", "Big Ten Unveils Men's Basketball Postseason Honors on BTN", "Ayo Dosunmu's return raises the bar for the Illini. 6' 5", 200 lbs. That’s how my family is. “I never overstep the boundary,” he said. [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. It’s what your specialty is and you stay in that lane. When Quam coached Yakub’s youth basketball team and Ayo played on another team, Jamarra put her foot down. “The job isn’t finished,” he said. 9 Penn State 62–56", "Ayo Dosunmu selected to All-Big Ten First Team", "Illinois star Ayo Dosunmu declares for the NBA draft: 'I'm 100% locked in, "Illinois' Dosunmu says he's returning to chase title", "Dosunmu, Miller lead No. [16] As a sophomore, Dosunmu averaged 16.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.3 rebounds per game. Early life and high school career. Scribbled in marker are ambitious goals for Ayo Dosunmu, the youngest child in the family of six. But he's going to have to work out first. “He really prides himself on doing things the right way,” Ayo said of his father. He wants to win. I’m blessed to be in the position I’m in to have so many people who can lead me to success.”. Family meeting time: How do we all make this happen? Dosunmu. [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. Ayo Dosunmu, the dynamic Illinois guard who has raised expectations in Champaign, is surrounded by a family that has made it their business to support each other’s goals. He’s focused on one thing.”. Player of the year. CHAMPAIGN, Ill (WCCU/WICS/WRSP) - Another Illinois win capped off by the late game heroics of Ayo Dosunmu, who added another late dagger to his ever-growing list. On October 19, 2017, Dosunmu verbally committed to play college basketball for Illinois and head coach Brad Underwood. And then? [Most read in Sports] Column: Mitch Trubisky’s time as a Chicago Bears quarterback is nearing the end after only 4 seasons. Wearing a black protective mask after suffering a broken nose and concussion and missing three games only adds to his mystique. Solution: Ayo began playing up two grades on his brother’s team, coached by their dad. You’re not getting around my mom or my dad, (and) definitely not my brother or my sisters. Illinois star Ayo Dosunmu has a broken nose, a source confirmed to The Athletic. Quam quit his job after nearly 30 years as a UPS manager, taking a significant pay cut to work as a paraprofessional in education. But Quam said he leaves the coaching to the Illinois coaches; he’s there for reinforcement. Every family member might as well work for Dosunmu Inc. Dad handles X’s and O’s breakdowns. He’s very committed to being the best player he can be and seeing where that can take him. “Ayo needs to go to the draft,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. He changed his Twitter avatar to a blank black box, and … It was only a matter of time. “We all want to see each other win. “I didn’t like we were in two separate places,” she said. His parents, two sisters and a brother have responsibilities in helping those dreams become reality. Ayo Dosunmu is averaging 21 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game paired with a field goal percentage of 48.6 percent. Four ZIP codes added to United Center vaccination site registration as city touts equity-driven numbers, Fact check: Biden and company get slippery with vaccination facts, Column: Sen. Tammy Duckworth’s foul language was fair comment on Fox News nitwit Tucker Carlson, 22 St. Patrick’s Day specials in Chicago, from corned beef ramen to Irish coffee takeout kits, After a season without fans, the Big Ten welcomes crowds for the tournament in Indianapolis: ‘I’ve been waiting all year. Ayo Dosunmu came back to Illinois for a junior season to lead Illinois to the NCAA Tournament and to raise his NBA Draft stock. They made a surprise trip last Saturday to see Illinois beat Ohio State, Dosunmu’s first game back after missing three because of a concussion and broken nose. Ayo Dosunmu – NBA 2020 Draft Scouting Report by Zach Smith. Yakub, 22, provides brotherly advice. “There’s nothing else he’s going to accomplish in college basketball that I’m going to do for him. They’re behind him. But Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson doses are available in Illinois. First-round draft pick. Haven't seen Dosunmu yet today. [19], 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. That kept everything in perspective. Ayo Dosunmu is a Nigerian American basketball player who plays for the Illinois Fighting Illini of the Big Ten Conference. As a freshman at Westinghouse, before transferring to and graduating from Morgan Park, he set specific goals. “I let them live their life,” Dosunmu said with a smile, noting he avoids social media. His just happen to be about basketball. 8 Illinois past NC A&T 122–60", "Ayo Dosunmu scores 36, but Illini fall 81-78 to Missouri", "Illini ride Dosunmu's triple-double to win over Wisconsin, game against Michigan postponed", "Ayo Dosunmu triple-double leads Illinois' rout of Minnesota", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ayo_Dosunmu&oldid=1011475485, All-American college men's basketball players, Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball players, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. According to the rules and regulation set by the NCAA, the college is not allowed to provide financial aid to the students of the athlete background but provide grants-aid to the student in terms of scholarship and various other incentives such as insurance to the players. [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. “He’s got a family that’s all-in. But don’t expect Baylor’s Scott Drew to return for that job. This season, Dosunmu is averaging 21.2 PPG, 6.2 boards, and 5.3 assists. “I have a very tight-knit circle,” Ayo said. Dosunmu will wrap up an impressive career in the upcoming weeks. Aunts, uncles and grandparents have taken on roles too. Ayo Dosunmu, front left, with his family: clockwise from top left, sister Khadijat, mother Jamarra, sister Joselynn, brother Yakub and father Quam, center. Five Willis Towers worth of office space is empty in downtown Chicago, and it’s going to get worse, Coronavirus in Illinois updates: More than 152,000 COVID-19 vaccines administered on Friday, the highest daily total yet; 1,675 new cases and 23 additional deaths reported, Column: Teachers unions meet their match as parents say, ‘Open our schools’. [18] Dosunmu withdrew from the draft to return to Illinois for his junior season on July 31, 2020. After strong showings during his first two years in the NCAA, Ayo Dosunmu hasn’t let his foot off the gas in year three. Underwood described Dosunmu as “day-to-day.” #illini Underwood: Ayo Dosunmu is "day to day." Nightly family dinners and basketball games were enough. Dosunmu transferred after his freshman year to Morgan Park. A Naismith Trophy semifinalist and Bob Cousy Award finalist, he’s on pace to be the first Division I player in 11 seasons to average at least 20 points, six rebounds and five assists. [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. Ayo Dosunmu says his new black facial protective mask makes him feel like a superhero. They made a family pact to follow protocols strictly for the obvious health reasons but also to avoid jeopardizing Dosunmu’s season. “We have so many people who are looking out for what’s best for me. Before each school year, the Dosunmus would gather. But don’t expect Baylor’s Scott Drew to return for that job. 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. Two days before game days, Quam and Ayo schedule video conference calls to discuss scouting reports of opponents. [11], Dosunmu hit a last-second jump shot in a 64–62 win over Michigan on January 25, 2020, and finished with 27 points. [10] He averaged 13.8 points and 3.3 assists per game as a freshman. Advanced Stats: 21.8 AST% / 7.3 REB% / 1.5 STL% / 0.6 BLK % 108.2 OFF RTG and 99.3 DEF RTG for a +8.9 NET RTG.