Will Ayo Dosunmu stick with the Chicago Bulls starting five?

Is Ayo the right replacement for injured Lonzo Ball?

All training camp long, the question on most people's minds was who would take the place of injured starting guard Lonzo Ball? 

The Bulls finally provided an answer during their preseason opener against the New Orleans Pelicans, trotting out sophomore guard Ayo Dosunmu to play alongside All-Star wingmen DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, power forward Patrick Williams, and Nikola Vucevic.

Unsurprising move

The move of Bulls' head coach Billy Donovan to insert Dosunmu was unsurprising considering the strides the sophomore guard has made in the offseason. Dosunmu came into training camp looking and playing confident, and his teammates have noticed, including newly acquired guard Goran Dragic. So, when his number got called on Wednesday night, Dosunmu was more than ready to step up and play well.

In 23 minutes, Dosunmu recorded 10 points, three assists, and two rebounds on 2-of-3 shooting from the field. He also displayed his trademark speed and agility, getting to the basket at will. On the defensive end, Dosunmu was also solid, using his quickness to stay in front of Pelicans' guard CJ McCollum.

Afterward, Dosunmu credited his experience last season, when he played 77 games, starting 40.

"Any time you get experience that means a lot. That's how you become a very good player," Dosunmu said of his rookie year when he averaged 8.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists.

"You have to just put the work in, and then, also have to have experience, go through the battles. So definitely those games helped me for this upcoming season. Because I knew what to work on, what to expect," he added. "Even coming into this game, being a rookie you don't know what to expect you're just out there playing hard. Now I know what to expect on both ends of the court."

Still adjusting

The role of an NBA point guard is not easy, and Dosunmu is still adjusting to running the show full-time, especially with the Chicago Bulls transitioning to a more free-flowing type of offense.

"I think I did an okay job as we continue to try to move more into a free-flowing offense. There are going to be tough times," Dosunmu said. "That's when we need to come together and continue to move the ball, continue to trust each other, and stick with the plan."

Billy Donovan also took note of Dosunmu's play and lauded his vocal leadership on the court.

"Ayo can direct. And I thought he was way more vocal this year than he was last year. And that's something we've tried to focus on with him is being more commanding. And I think he was," Bulls' head coach said.

Despite the rave reviews, it's still unclear if Dosunmu will remain in the starting lineup. It's clear, though, that the job is his to lose.