Illinois Basketball: Great news for Illini with return of guard Ayo Dosunmu

Friday night, Fighting Illini guard Ayo Dosunmu announced his intentions to return to school for his junior season. This is huge news for Illinois Basketball, who hopes to build on the Big Ten success they had this past season.

Illinois Basketball fans are no doubt rejoicing after Ayo Dosunmu’s announcement that he would not be participating in the NBA Draft process, instead deciding that he would return to the team for his junior year. The guard was voted First Team All-Big Ten this past season after leading the Fighting Illini to a largely unexpected fourth-place finish in the conference, just one win away from a share of the regular-season title.

Dosunmu averaged 16.7 points, 3.5 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game over his sophomore campaign. After much speculation over whether he would return to school or keep his name in the 2020 NBA Draft, Dosunmu broke the news via Twitter:

Dosunmu clearly believes there is unfinished business for the Illini, who were on the verge of NCAA Tournament selection and potentially a deep run through March Madness. He was certainly a player whose stock was hurt by cancellations to the postseason and NBA Combine, two prime opportunities to fully display his skill set to NBA teams.

The athleticism, scoring, and playmaking that Dosunmu provided this season are clear indicators that he could play at the next level. He can improve his stock by developing his three-point shot and becoming a more consistent performer on either side of the ball.

The guard’s return is major news for the Fighting Illini, who hopes to build on the success of 2019-2020 and realize their postseason dreams. Much of their success will also be tied to the impending decision of Big Ten Freshman of the Year Kofi Cockburn. If the big man returns for his sophomore season, Illinois Basketball will be among the favorites in the Big Ten conference for next season.

While Cockburn has yet to announce his intentions for the future, it is extremely promising to Illini supporters that at least half of their dynamic duo will be back in Champaign for another year.