Dosunmu Named to Preseason List for Wooden Award

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois sophomore guard Ayo Dosunmu was named Tuesday as one of the 50 players on the preseason list for the 2020 John Wooden Award.

Chosen by a preseason poll of national college basketball experts, the list is comprised of 50 student-athletes who are the early front-runners for the most prestigious honors in college basketball, the Wooden Award All American Team and Most Outstanding Player Award.

This is the latest preseason accolade for the Chicago native, which includes the Naismith Trophy Watch List, Cousy Award Watch List for the nation's top point guard, third-team All-America by The Sporting News, Athlon Sports and Dick Vitale, fourth-team All-America by Blue Ribbon Yearbook, first-team All-Big Ten Conference by Blue Ribbon and Athlon, and preseason All-Big Ten by the conference's media panel.

AYO DOSUNMU | 2018-19 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

Big Ten All-Freshman Team & honorable mention All-Big Ten (coaches & media).
First true freshman in school history to lead the Illini in scoring for the season (13.8 ppg).
Recorded the fourth-best scoring average by a freshman in Illini history.
Two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week (Feb. 11 & Feb. 18)
23 games scoring in double figures with seven performances of 20 or more points.
Led Illini in assists (3.3 apg), second on team in steals (1.3 spg) and third on team in rebounding (4.0 rpg)

The players on the list are considered strong candidates for the 2020 John R. Wooden Award Men's Player of the Year award. Players not chosen to the preseason list are still eligible for the Wooden Award midseason list, late-season list, and the national ballot. The National Ballot consists of 15 top players who have proven to their universities that they meet or exceed the qualifications of the Wooden Award. Nearly 1,000 voters will rank in order 10 of those 15 players when voting opens prior to the NCAA Tournament and will allow voters to take into consideration performance during early round games. The Wooden Award All American Team will be announced the week of the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Tournament. The announcement of the winner of the 2020 John Wooden Award will be during the ESPN College Basketball Awards on Friday, April 10, 2020.