Dosunmu Awards | Dosunmu 2020-21 Season Bio (PDF)
Fighting Illini point guard Ayo Dosunmu made it official on Tuesday afternoon, announcing during a live interview on ESPN's The Jump that he will enter the 2021 NBA Draft.
Dosunmu averaged 20.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists during his junior season, becoming the first NCAA player in the last 11 years to average at least 20 points, six rebounds and five assists. He accumulated the most impressive single-season list of accolades ever by an Illini player, highlighted by USA Today National Player of the Year, Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year, and consensus first-team All-American.
"Last year I went through the draft process and I got so much feedback from almost every NBA team and I just wanted to turn what they said – the constructive criticism – and I worked at it. I improved on pretty much all my offensive and defensive stats," Dosunmu said during the interview with Rachel Nichols, Richard Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins. "My body, I gained 7-8 pounds. Shout out to Coach Fletch; we put a lot of work into the weight room. My coaches; they helped me each and every day; long nights in the gym. And I just think I see the game better. I see the game much differently, being a junior, being 21 years old. And putting so much work into my film. That's what makes me believe I'm ready for the NBA."
Dosunmu helped lead Illinois to a 24-7 record, including a 16-4 mark in conference play followed by the Big Ten Tournament championship. The Illini earned an NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed and set a school record by defeating six top-10 teams during the season. Illinois finished the year at No. 4 in kenpom, the second-highest rating in program history.
Ayo Dosunmu 2020-21 Highlights
- USA Today National Player of the Year
- Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year
- NCAA Consensus First-Team All-American
- Wooden Award Finalist
- Naismith Trophy Finalist
- Oscar Robertson Trophy Finalist
- Wooden Award All-American Team
- Associated Press First-Team All-American, the first-ever Illini voted to first team by AP
- NABC First-Team All-American
- USBWA First-Team All-American
- Sporting News unanimous First-Team All-American
- Sports Illustrated unanimous First-Team All-American
- CBS Sports First-Team All-American
- USA Today First-Team All-American
- Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player and All-Tournament Team
- USBWA District V Player of the Year and All-District Team
- Unanimous First-Team All-Big Ten
- NABC First-Team All-District 7
- Only player in the NCAA over the last 11 seasons to average at least 20 points, six rebounds and five assists
- Joined Michigan State's Magic Johnson as the only two players in Big Ten history with multiple triple-doubles in league play
- Concluded junior season with scoring average of 20.1 points, the highest by an Illini in the last 30 years
- 21st in the NCAA in scoring (20.1 ppg)
- Second in the Big Ten in assists (5.3 apg)
- 13th in the B1G in rebounding (6.3 rpg)
