Underwood’s Message To Ayo: If Illinois Isn’t Perfect, It’ll Be Dosunmu’s Fault
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- While Ayo Dosunmu said Sunday he’s “chasing greatness” with his decision to return to Illinois for his junior year, his coach was quick to remind him that decision has a price.
The junior-to-be guard wouldn’t likely expect a party to be called on his behalf by fourth-year head coach Brad Underwood but instead expected to hear the ground rules of his responsibility for the 2020-21 Illini team once Dosunmu returns to campus later this month.
“Basically, anytime something goes wrong, I’m going to be the one to blame,” Dosunmu said.
A player doesn't go to class, doesn't show top effort, doesn't execute a play correctly or makes a mental error, No. 11 in an Illini jersey is at fault. This mentality, which might seem unfair to a layman, is how Underwood will always define star treatment.
The Illini star guard announced via a video on Twitter Friday evening that he’s withdrawing his name from NBA draft consideration and will return to college basketball for the upcoming 2020-21 season.
Dosunmu said he informed the Illini head coach of his decision shortly after his video hit social media on Friday night. Underwood’s response, according to Dosunmu, it’s all on you now.
“That was one of the brief things that (Underwood) emphasized when we are on the phone,” Dosunmu said Sunday in his first media comments. “He’s leaning on me a lot more. So, I have to be focused on that role (this season) where I have to run his show, make sure everything is good, everyone is competing, making sure everyone is going out there and giving their all while being an extension of him on that court.”
Underwood is scheduled to meet with local and statewide media via a Zoom video conference but the Illini head man has repeatedly said he likes to give the responsibility of his locker room over to “right players” at the start of every season.
“That’s on him to make sure they get right,” Underwood said during last year’s preseason media day. “That’s a lot of responsibility but that comes with the deal.”
After a 76-56 loss at Michigan State on Jan. 2, reports surfaced of a players-only meeting led by Dosunmu, who said immediately after the loss that “things were going to have to change” and where the All-Big Ten guard addressed issues with specific members of the roster in that forum. After what Dosunmu described as a "heart to heart conversation", Illinois proceeded to win seven games in a row to get near the top of the league standings in less than a month.
“If it’s the right guys (leading it) absolutely,” Underwood said on Feb. 10. “This is their team. We, as coaches, help guide them and mold them but this is their team. These are their friends for life and the memories they’re going to create so I’m a big fan of those (players-only meetings). It was probably needed at that time. Kudos to those guys for stepping up and handling that situation.”
Dosunmu will be part of a crowded group of upperclassmen leaders in the Big Ten Conference this season as Iowa center and league player of the year Luka Garza along with Michigan State’s All-Big Ten forward Xavier Tillman decided to return to college basketball for one more season. The Big Ten Conference is expected to have at least four teams (Illinois, Iowa, Michigan State and Wisconsin) in the top 15 of preseason polls and the league could have as many as seven teams ranked in a preseason Top 25 poll before the season is slate to tip off in November.
“I’m looking to compete against anybody,” Dosunmu said. “Me being a leader, I’m going to get the guys real amped up to start off the season. It’s much different than these last two years. We’re the ones being hunted. There’s going to be a lot of media. There’s going to be a lot of notoriety and there’s going to be a lot of people showing us a lot of love. We deserve it but there’s a totally different target on our back now. The last two years we’ve been the hunters but now we’re the marked man. We’re the ones with a bounty on our backs.”