Ayo Dosunmu facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ayo Dosunmu

Dosunmu with the Chicago Bulls in 2022
No. 11 – Chicago Bulls
Shooting guard
Personal information
Born	(2000-01-17) January 17, 2000 (age 25) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
High school	Morgan Park (Chicago, Illinois)
Listed height	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight	200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
College	Illinois (2018–2021)
NBA Draft	2021 / Round: 2 / Pick: 38th overall
Selected by the Chicago Bulls
Pro career	2021–present
League	NBA
Career history
2021–present	Chicago Bulls
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2022) Bob Cousy Award (2021) Consensus first-team All-American (2021) 2× First-team All-Big Ten – Media (2020, 2021) First-team All-Big Ten – Coaches (2021) Second-team All-Big Ten – Coaches (2020) Big Ten All-Freshman Team (2019) Big Ten tournament MOP (2021) No. 11 jersey honored by Illinois Fighting Illini
Medals Men's basketball Representing  United States FIBA Americas U18 Championship Gold 2018 St. Catharines Team

Ayo Dosunmu, born on January 17, 2000, is a professional basketball player. He plays for the Chicago Bulls in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before joining the NBA, he was a star player for the Illinois Fighting Illini in college. He was even named an All-American during his junior year. The Chicago Bulls picked him in the 2021 NBA draft.

Early Life and High School Basketball

Ayo Dosunmu was born in Chicago. His father is from Nigeria, and his mother is African-American. His name, Ayo, means "joy" in the Yoruba language, which is spoken by his family in Nigeria.

Starting Strong in High School

Ayo began playing high school basketball at Westinghouse College Prep in Chicago. As a freshman, he helped his team win a conference championship in 2015. He even scored an amazing 40 points in one game! This earned him recognition from the Chicago Sun-Times.

Becoming a State Champion

After his freshman year, Ayo moved to Morgan Park. In his junior year, he led the Mustangs to a 3A State Championship. He couldn't play in the final game due to an injury, but his team still won. In his senior year, Ayo led Morgan Park to another state championship. He scored 28 points in that game, setting a new record for points in an IHSA championship.

National Recognition

In March 2018, Ayo was chosen to play in the Jordan Brand Classic. This is a special game for top high school seniors. He was also picked for the Iverson Roundball Classic All-American Game. During his senior season, he averaged 25.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game. He helped Morgan Park win its second straight state championship.

Choosing College

On October 19, 2017, Ayo decided to play college basketball for the Illinois team. He officially signed with Illinois in November 2017.

College Career Highlights

Dosunmu with Illinois in 2020

Dosunmu (left) with Illinois in 2020

Ayo Dosunmu played three seasons for the Illinois Fighting Illini. He quickly became one of their best players.

Freshman Year (2018–19)

Ayo made his college debut on November 8, 2018. He scored 18 points, grabbed six rebounds, and had four assists. After his first season, he was named to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team. He averaged 13.8 points and 3.3 assists per game.

Sophomore Year (2019–20)

In his second year, Ayo hit a game-winning shot against Michigan. He scored 27 points in that exciting game. He averaged 16.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. After this season, he thought about joining the NBA draft. But he decided to return to Illinois for his junior year.

Junior Year (2020–21)

Ayo's junior year was amazing! On November 25, 2020, he scored 28 points, had 10 rebounds, and five assists. He scored a career-high 36 points in a game against Missouri.

Achieving Triple-Doubles

Ayo made history on February 6, 2021. He became only the third player in Illinois history to get a triple-double. This means he had double-digit numbers in three categories: 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists. He got another triple-double on February 20, with 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists.

Big Ten Champion and All-American

On March 14, he helped Illinois win the Big Ten Men's Basketball Championship game. He was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Ayo was recognized as a first-team All-American. He also won the Bob Cousy Award as the best point guard in the nation. After this successful season, he declared for the 2021 NBA draft.

Honoring His Legacy

On January 6, 2022, Illinois honored Ayo's jersey number 11. This shows how important he was to the team.

Professional NBA Career

Ayo Dosunmu was chosen by his hometown team, the Chicago Bulls, in the second round of the 2021 NBA draft. He was the 38th pick overall.

Starting Strong with the Bulls

The Chicago Bulls officially signed Ayo on August 18, 2021. By December 8, he was already starting games for the Bulls. He scored 11 points, had six rebounds, and eight assists in a win against the Denver Nuggets. On January 25, 2022, Ayo made nine shots in a row to start a game. This broke a Bulls rookie record!

Key Moments and Achievements

On December 21, 2022, Ayo made a game-winning shot right at the buzzer against the Atlanta Hawks. He re-signed with the Chicago Bulls on July 23, 2023.

On February 12, 2024, Ayo scored a career-high 29 points against the Atlanta Hawks. He also had seven assists in that game. On March 16, he set a new career high with 34 points in a win over the Washington Wizards.

On December 5, 2024, Ayo achieved his first career triple-double in the NBA. He had 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists in a win against the San Antonio Spurs. Unfortunately, his 2024-25 season ended early. On March 4, 2025, it was announced that he would miss 4-to-6 weeks due to a shoulder injury.

Playing for Team USA

In May 2018, Ayo was invited to try out for the USA Basketball Men's U18 National Team. This team was preparing for the 2018 FIBA Under-18 Americas Championship. Ayo won a gold medal with the U18 National Team. He averaged 9.5 points, 4.5 assists, and 2.3 rebounds during the competition.

Career Statistics

NBA Regular Season

NBA Playoffs

College Statistics

See also

In Spanish: Ayo Dosunmu para niños