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Getty Chicago Bulls rookie NBA“>Ayo Dosunmu defends Brooklyn Nets’ Cam Thomas.
Chicago Bulls rookie guard Ayo Dosunmu has been playing well lately, even setting an NBA record during last night’s loss against the Boston Celtics.
Dosunmu, who started in place of the injured Zach LaVine, scored 21 points, dished out 10 assists and went 9-for-10 from the field, becoming the first rookie to post 20+ points, 10 assists and shooting 90%. or better in a game.
Great selection of shots
The 21-year-old has shown great patience when searching for his own shot, often waiting for opportune moments to get behind the 3-point line or filling the lane in transition.
Dosunmu is shooting 53.8% of his shots on the season, including 44.4% from behind the arc, which has led to an elite shooting percentage of 61.8%, more than six percentage points higher than the league average, according to Basketball-Reference.
74.7% of all Dosunmu’s field goals have been assisted, including 100% of all his 3-pointers, further demonstrating his ability to play with others and understand how to move without the basketball.
As for the assist department, Dosunmu simply hasn’t handled the ball much during his first season due to the presence of LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Lonzo Ball. With LaVine and Ball out against Boston, Dosunmu finally got a chance to play more with the ball, similar to what he did in Illinois when he averaged 5.3 assists.
His 10 assists were another sign that the rookie has more to offer and is capable of producing in multiple areas, given the opportunity.
In his last six games, Dosunmu is playing 29.4 minutes and averaging 10.0 points on 57.5% shooting from the field, including 52.9% from distance on 2.8 night attempts. During that span, he also sports an assist-to-turnover ratio of close to 3-to-1.
Defensively Solid
Standing at 6-foot-5 with a wingspan of 6-foot-10 and weighing in at a solid 200 pounds, Dosunmu has also proven to be a very capable defender.
Dosunmu not only moves his feet well, but he’s also mindful of not using his hands too much, a frequent recipe for foul trouble, though sometimes his enthusiasm gets the best of him. But at 21, it’s reasonable to expect improvement in that area.
Dosunmu’s long range and low center of gravity have already given the bench a defensive boost, to the point where you have to wonder if you can justify taking him out of the rotation when defenders like Ball, Alex Caruso, Javonte Green and Derrick Jones Jr. return from his injuries.
Meanwhile, coach Billy Donovan is likely to give Dosunmu all the minutes he can handle, which could be a solid long-term investment for the Bulls as the rookie seemingly gets better by the game.
