Illinois freshman guard Ayo Dosunmu announced on Twitter Thursday that he will return to Illinois for his sophomore season and not declare for the NBA Draft, citing "unfinished business."
"I stayed home to help Coach Underwood turn the Illinois program around," Dosunmu said in the Twitter video. "We beat some ranked teams this season. We tasted some success. But we didn't dance. Illinois needs to dance.
"The Orange Krush is ready to dance. I love my teammates. It's time to work harder. We're getting bigger, better and stronger. We are building. We will be better. I will be better, and that starts now. New hashtag: #UnfinishedBusiness."
Dosunmu was named co-team MVP after a stellar freshman season. Here are some of the highlights:
- Big Ten All-Freshman Team and Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (coaches & media)
- Two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week – Feb. 11 & Feb. 18
- Averaged a team-best 13.8 points per game, becoming the first true freshman in school history to lead the Illini in scoring for the season
- Recorded the fourth-best scoring average by a freshman in Illini history
- Scoring average in league play increased to 14.7 ppg (10th in B1G, second among freshmen)
- 23 games scoring in double figures with seven performances of 20 or more points
- Led Illini in assists (3.3 apg, eighth in B1G)
- Third on team in rebounding (4.0 rpg) and second in steals (1.3 spg, eighth in B1G)
- UI's top scorer in 14 of the last 21 games, averaging 15.2 points (320)
- Career-high 25 points on 9-15 shooting, including 3-4 from three, in second appearance vs. Georgetown (Nov. 13)
- Game-high 20 points and six assists in win over No. 13 Maryland at Madison Square Garden (Jan. 26)
- Game-high 24 points with four treys and career-high tying three steals in win over No. 9 Michigan State (Feb. 5). Broke 68-all tie with back-to-back 3-pointers at 2:32 and 1:54, propelling Illini to victory.
