How Ayo Dosunmu's quailty work in the offseason is starting to pay off

Dosunmu put in a lot of offseason work to prepare himself this season.

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After a summer of introspection and hard work, Ayo Dosunmo is seeing the results on the court in his third year playing for the Chicago Bulls. Many raised their eyebrows when the former Illinois standout re-signed with his hometown squad in the offseason, especially after the Bulls acquired another guard, Jevon Carter, in free agency.

However, Dosunmu has proven worthy of a spot in the rotation. His improved shooting and playmaking have been integral to the Bulls' recent success, with the team looking to secure an outright spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Looked at himself in the mirror

After a promising rookie campaign that saw him ably fill in for the injured Lonzo Ball, Dosunmu struggled to find his footing in his sophomore season. Although he began the season as the starting point guard, he was sent to the bench late in favor of veteran Pat Beverley. The 24-year-old spent time in the offseason assessing what he could do to improve his game and took a long, hard look at himself in the mirror.

“It’s about looking in the mirror and then trying to dig deep into yourself and telling yourself the truth,” Dosunmu said.

“If you go into the offseason unrealistically, then you may stay consistent, but I wanted to be real with myself. Look at the numbers and the film and see, ‘OK, this is how I’m being guarded, this is what I need to work on. Now, let me try and attack and get better at it because this will make me even better.’”

Ayo Dosunmu tonight:

20 PTS
6 REB
4 AST
7/10 FG
3/5 3P
+ 28

ELITE. pic.twitter.com/KllARbwvx3

— BullsMuse (@BullsMuse_) January 21, 2024

Stepping up

With Zach LaVine facing an extended absence for the second time this season, Dosunmu has again been called upon to help fill the void. The third-year guard has stepped up, averaging

15.3 points, 4.0 assists, and 3.0 rebounds in the last four games. Bulls coach Billy Donovan has noticed Dosunmu’s marked improvement this season, specifically his three-point shooting percentage, which is back to 37 percent after making only 31 percent of his trifectas last season.

Alex Caruso drops a full-court DIME to Ayo Dosunmu 😱pic.twitter.com/HtvNGr33zn

— Bulls Nation (@BullsNationCP) January 19, 2024

“I think he’s becoming more comfortable knowing the league defensively and matchups,” Donovan said.

“The game has slowed down for him. He’s more patient in pick-and-roll, he’s not in a rush, he’s taking his shots when they’re there, he’s ready to shoot the basketball.”

Zach LaVine to miss 1-2 weeks due to a sprained ankle