NCAA Basketball: 10 best players from state of Illinois of last decade

By Joey Loose | Aug 11, 2022

Apr 6, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Jahlil Okafor (15) drives against Wisconsin Badgers forward Frank Kaminsky (44) in the second half in the 2015 NCAA Men's Division I Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

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Illinois Fighting Illini guard Ayo Dosunmu Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Ayo Dosunmu – Illinois

Brad Underwood’s first recruiting class at Illinois needed something to give that big push to make the Illini a great program again, and this 6’5 guard from Chicago certainly qualified. Dosunmu was a four-star prospect and a top 40 recruit who took his talents down to Champaign, starting every game across three successful years as a Fighting Illini.

As a freshman, he had a great impact on a lousy Illinois team, though things started to go much better for the program from there. He averaged 16.6 points per game as a sophomore, with that total ballooning to 20.1 points per game in his final collegiate season. Dosunmu helped lead the Illini back to the NCAA Tournament in 2021 and also had a pair of triple-doubles as a junior, including a 21-point, 12-rebound, 12-assist performance in a win over Wisconsin.

Dosunmu was a First Team All-American for that successful junior season, receiving his second All-Big Ten honors as well. He was named Big Ten Tournament MVP in leading the Illini to that title and was also given the Bob Cousy Award for the best point guard in the nation. Dosunmu played a major role in turning around the fortunes of the Illini and was soon drafted by his hometown Chicago Bulls in the second round of the NBA Draft.

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