Will A NBA Draft Combine Happen? Illini Guard Ayo Dosunmu Thinks So

Ayo Dosunmu continues to work out in his private gym and plans to attend a delayed combine workout before the 2020 NBA Draft.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Ayo Dosunmu made it clear Wednesday afternoon that if there’s a 2020 NBA Draft, he’d like to remain involved as an eligible prospect for that process.

During a Zoom video media conference with reporters after being named the 2020 Dike Eddleman Male Athlete of the Year award, given to the top University of Illinois male athlete in a given academic year, Dosunmu answered clearly that he sees a direct path for him to leave the Illini after two seasons to the NBA.

“If everything goes the right way and everything gets back on track then, of course, I will be staying in the draft and getting better and working out to be the best player I can be,” Dosunmu said Wednesday.

By not signing with an agent unapproved by the NCAA, Dosunmu has reserved the right to theoretically return to Illinois for his junior season but the leading scorer for the Illini in the past two seasons said plainly and forcefully that outcome wouldn’t be an ideal situation for the Chicago native.

“Definitely the outlook would be me leaning toward being pro because that’s what I’m working toward. That’s my goal at the end of the day is to play in the NBA and to work as hard as I can to be picked as high as possible. “But of course I didn’t sign with an agent because there’s so many uncertainties.”

"There’s going to be a combine. There’s going to be a place where I’m going to be able to show my talents and show everything I can do." - Illinois sophomore guard Ayo Dosunmu 

Dosunmu was a first-team All-Big Ten selection this past season while leading Illinois to a 21-10 overall record and a top four finish in the league standings. He averaged a team-high 16.6 points per game to go with 4.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 33.5 minutes per contest.

The NCAA announced Wednesday the deadline for men's basketball players to withdraw from the NBA draft will be pushed back from the initial deadline of June 3. The decision came following the announcements of the draft lottery and NBA scouting combine being postponed indefinitely amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"Out of respect to the NBA’s process, the decision on a new withdrawal date will be made once the league has determined a timeline for the 2020 pre-draft process," NCAA senior vice president of basketball, Dan Gavitt, said in a statement. "Working in collaboration with National Association of Basketball Coaches Executive Director Jim Haney and the rest of the coaches’ leadership, the NCAA membership will ensure that any change supports a player’s decision-making process related to professional opportunities while also protecting their academic pursuits and the opportunity to play college basketball.”

Ayo "embodies everything we want our men's basketball program to be about and what the University of Illinois is all about." – @CoachUnderwood

2020 Dike Eddleman Athlete of the Year 🏆 @AyoDos_11 #Illini | #EveryDayGuys 🔶🔷pic.twitter.com/0n6SZdcKzn

— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) May 13, 2020

The draft lottery was set to occur on Tuesday night, while the combine workouts were scheduled to begin in Dosunmu’s home city of Chicago between May 21–24.

"This was a tough decision," Dosunmu wrote in his draft announcement video on April 15. "I'm not sure what the (draft) date (is) but I'm 100% locked in. Whenever they announce a date, I'm prepared. Thirty GMs are going to see what I'm made of. Straight ice in my veins."

ESPN.com currently has Dosunmu as the 88th-best player available in the 2020 NBA Draft and the 28th best point guard. The NBA draft is a two-round selection process of 60 picks. Therefore, a draft combine would drastically affect Dosunmu’s chances of hearing his name called in the upcoming draft and the sophomore guard said Wednesday he believes he’ll eventually get that opportunity but doesn’t know of a specific date.

“I’m just working as hard as I can, getting in the gym each and every day,” Dosunmu said. “Turning my weaknesses into my strengths. There’s going to be a combine. There’s going to be a place where I’m going to be able to show my talents and show everything I can do."

Thank you, @AyoDos_11. 🤙#Illini for Life 🔶🔷 pic.twitter.com/8K9EiIXQSZ

— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) April 16, 2020

According to a report from Adam Zagoria, the NBA 2019-20 season is still under consideration to return to play this summer and therefore, leading to the draft combine potentially taking place in Las Vegas or Orlando in a few months. According to NBA rules, NCAA regulations and numerous state-wide stay-at-home orders, draft-eligible players are currently unable to meet in person with or be participants in formal workouts for NBA teams.

Well, I know people,” Dosunmu said Wednesday when he was asked about how he was able to get scouting information. “I’m not a rookie in this process.”