The Crusader Newspaper Group

Bulls rookie Ayo Dosunmu living the NBA dream

By Joseph Phillips

After playing in the 2022 NBA All-Star Rising Stars game and representing his hometown team, the Chicago Bulls, former Morgan Park High School standout Ayo Dosunmu is earning his stripes as a young rookie in the NBA.

Since winning a state title with the Morgan Park Mustangs back in 2018, Dosunmu has had his jersey retired by the University of Illinois Fighting Illini (2022), been named USA Today National Player of the Year (2021), and a unanimous First-team All-American (2021), a Bob Cousy Award winner (2021), a Big Ten Tournament MOP (2021) and a 2× First-team All-Big Ten – Media team member (2020, 2021).

Dosunmu also made the First-team All-Big Ten– Coaches Team (2021), Second-team All-Big Ten – Coaches Team (2020), Big Ten All-Freshman Team (2019) and played in the Jordan Brand Classic back in 2018.

Born in Chicago to Nigerian immigrants as noted in his bio, he descends from the Yoruba people in Nigeria; his name “Ayo” means joy in the Yoruba language.

Beginning his high school career at Chicago’s Westinghouse College Prep., Dosunmu 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, earning Chicago Sun-Times All-City Accolades.

Transferring after his freshman year to Morgan Park High School, Dosunmu during his junior year led the Mustangs to a 3A State Championship, despite getting hurt in the semi-finals. 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.

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.

A talented athlete, Dosunmu is the third Illini to be selected to play in the Jordan Classic, joining Dee Brown, who played for the Red team in 2002, and Jalen Coleman-Lands, who played in 2015.

In April 2018, Dosunmu was also selected to play in the second annual Iverson Roundball Classic All-American Game at Souderton Area High School outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

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.

Dosunmu has also been 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.

Currently, Dosunmu has helped his hometown team, the Chicago Bulls, to a 39-22 record in the Eastern Conference, good enough for first place in the Central Division.

Joseph
Joseph G. Phillips

Joseph Phillips is the Sports Editor for the Chicago Crusader Newspaper. He is a Chicago native, who has been a sports writer for over 17 years. He also hosts the SC Media News and Sports Network Q&A radio show on WHPK 88.5 FM Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected].

Sports Editor at Chicago Crusader Newspaper | + posts

Joseph Phillips is the Sports Editor for the Chicago Crusader Newspaper. He is a Chicago native, who has been a sports writer for over 17 years. He also hosts the SC Media News and Sports Network Q&A radio show on WHPK 88.5 FM Chicago.

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