Illinois junior Ayo Dosunmu will declare for the 2021 NBA draft and forgo his remaining college eligibility by hiring an agent, he announced on ESPN’s The Jump on Wednesday.
Dosunmu, the No. 22 prospect in the ESPN 100, was a consensus first team All-American and the winner of the Bob Cousy Award, presented to the nation’s top point guard. Dosunmu, 21, averaged 20.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game while shooting 39% from 3-point range, leading Illinois to the Big Ten Conference tournament title and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
The 6-foot-4 Dosunmu, who has a 6-foot-9 wingspan, is considered one of the best two-way guards to be available in the NBA draft, thanks to his length, pace and skill level. He was one of the most efficient pick-and-roll players in the college game, per Synergy Sports Technology, converting 42% of his pull-up jumpers, the third-best rate among draft prospects, while also ranking third in transition scoring.
He gained notoriety for his late-game heroics throughout his Illinois career, making 50% of his field goal attempts in the final five minutes of regulation or overtime this season, per ESPN Stats & Information. By comparison, Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham, considered one of the most clutch players in the college game this season, shot 47% from the field in those situations.
The NBA announced last week that the NBA draft will be conducted on July 29. A draft combine scheduled for June 21 will feature competitive 5-on-5 action “subject to public health conditions.”
Jonathan Givony is an NBA Draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service utilized by NBA, NCAA and International teams.