Next up for Intentions annual OKC Thunder prospect profile series is Illinois guard Ayo Dosunmu.
Analysts differ on their opinion of where the crafty guard will be selected with a 19 position variance. That range covers a high end of the 15th pick and a low end of 34th which puts him right in the area the OKC Thunder will select.
OKC Thunder draft prospect profile for Ayo Dosunmu:
Specifics:
- Height: 6’3.5″
- Weight: 194 pounds
- Wingspan: 6’10
- Position: Guard
- Birthdate/Age: January 17, 2000, 21 years
- College: Illinois, junior
- Stat line: 20.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.1 steals
- Home Town: Chicago, Illinois
Box Score Statistics:
Provided by CBB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 7/15/2021.
Current Ranking:
- The Ringer: 30th
- NBA DraftNet: 23rd
- ESPN: 34th
- CBS Sports: 20th
- NBA: 15th
- Bleacher Report: 34th
With that let’s dive a little deeper into Ayo Dosunmu determine his strengths and weaknesses.
Ayo Dosunmu strengths and weaknesses
Strengths:
Dosunmu was a stat sheet filler as the leader of the Illinois Fighting Illini posting 20.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game.
His perimeter efficiency is strong (39 percent) on 2.9 attempts while his free-throw efficiency (78 percent) is attractive given he got to the line 5.6 times per game. Illinois earned one of the top seeds in March Madness with Dosunmu the leader of his squad and typically their clutch time shooter.
He’s equally adept at playing either guard position and has a versatile offensive skill set. A strong player who will aggressively attack the paint and use the same strength on defense. His 6’9 wingspan aids his ability to defend one on one.
Weaknesses:
Although he produced 5.3 assists per game that were countered with 3.3 turnovers which will need to be cleaned up in the pros.
He’s not an extremely athletic or explosive player relying far more on his strength, I.Q., and craftiness. Drafting teams will want to get him in the lab to improve some of his fundamentals including his defensive slides, angles, and positioning.
There are question marks on whether a reduced role will translate into regression of his effectiveness. His growth isn’t expected to be substantial since he’s already 21 in January and arrives at the pros with three seasons of NCAA experience and growth.
Pro Comparison:
The analysts serve up NBA player comparisons of a jumbo Jrue Holiday, Delon Wright, and Elfrid Payton.
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Both Wright and Payton are supporting guards who offer more of a well-rounded support game than scorers. The Holiday comparison seems lofty given Dosunmu isn’t a top-level defender which is always something Jrue showcased right from the start of his NBA career.
OKC Thunder fit:
As noted in the opening Ayo is projected to go somewhere between 15th and 34th in the draft order. While that makes him a candidate for the OKC Thunder and some sites pegged him early as a potential pick (either 16th or 18th) for OKC the later mocks shifted that perspective.
He’s a hard worker and might defy the odds, continuing to experience major growth but it’s more likely at his age the shifts will be incremental. Since he does have transferable skills that could help a contending team I think it’s more likely he lands in that type of situation.