We need to take a moment to recognize Ayo Dosunmu.
If I had to guess, many of you have not sat down to tune into some Chicago Bulls preseason basketball. And, to be clear, I do not blame you. Preseason hoops isn’t much of a draw to begin with – let alone for a team that has lost three straight Play-In Tournaments and could be on track to do it again. However, as the derranged Bulls blogger I am, my job is quite literally to search for reasons why tuning in can be worthwhile.
Dosunmu has been one of those reasons.
The guard is coming off a 2024-25 season where he appeared in a career-low 46 games. His season ended early because of a lingering shoulder injury that needed surgery. He played his last game on March 28 before having the first major procedure of his career. The rehab period was said to be 4-to-6 months.
Even though the Bulls struggled to compete in the Eastern Conference yet again, the news felt like a harsh blow. Dosunmu had become one of Billy Donovan’s most reliable role players, and he was still showing signs of meaningful growth. Before being ruled out for the remainder of the season, Dosunmu averaged a career-high in points (12.3), assists (4.5), and rebounds (3.5). He also clocked over 30 minutes per game for the first time in his career.
While Dosunmu had built a reputation for his transition scoring ability and solid defense in the years prior, these areas of his game only jumped off the screen more. Likewise, he showed far more flashes in the half-court game as both a decision-maker and ball-handler. Need I remind you of his incredible triple-double against the San Antonio Spurs, where Dosunmu dropped 27 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds?
What made Dosunmu’s strong play stand out even more is the fact that he was doing it while Coby White, Josh Giddey, and even Zach LaVine ate up possessions. He didn’t need to be the primary ball-handler or lead guard to impact winning. That’s an invaluable skillset.
All of this is why losing Dosunmu to a season-ending injury – and a severe one at that – stung as much as it did. It’s also why there were legitimate question marks about whether he could pick up where he left off coming into the 2025-26 campaign. While his availability for the start of the season was never necessarily in question with the projected recovery timeline, you never quite know how a player will respond to a major surgery. Not only might there be some physical rust, but there could be real mental hurdles to overcome as he regains confidence in his shoulder. Oh, there is also the fact that the Bulls remain stuffed at the guard position, and Dosunmu has the pressure of a contract year!
Well, I think it’s safe to say he’s put any and all concerns to bed.
Ayo Dosunmu of the Chicago Bulls – © Patrick Gorski-Imagn ImagesWhile we never want to read too much into the preseason, there is no denying how great Dosunmu looks. He and Matas Buzelis have pretty easily performed like the best two players on the team, and one could even argue that Dosunmu takes the cake.
Ayo Dosunmu’s preseason stats …
@ CLE – 12 PTS (5-6 FG, 2-2 3PT), 3 REB, 1 AST, 19 MINSvs. CLE – 16 PTS (6-14 FG, 1-4 3PT), 4 REB, 1 AST, 22 MINSvs. MIL – 22 PTS (8-12 FG, 1-3 3PT), 3 REB, 2 AST, 25 MINS@ DEN – 11 PTS (5-7 FG, 0-2 3PT), 3 REB, 3 AST, 28 MINS
For those keeping track at home, this means Dosunmu is averaging 16.3 points on 59.4 percent shooting from the field in his first four games after injury. And he’s done that while recording only 22 minutes per game. You can’t ask for much more than that, particularly when the eyetest has looked even better!
Opponents simply can not stop his momentum in the open floor or stay in front of him in the halfcourt. Also, in the rare instances when they do throw a body in front of Dosunmu, he has finished the bucket anyway. He’s a ridiculous 20/24 in the paint this preseason!
Now, do the Bulls want to see the three-ball drop at a higher rate when the regular season begins? Absolutely. Billy Donovan would also probably like him to step up even more defensively. Nevertheless, the fact that Dosunmu has looked this explosive and this efficient post-injury should not be viewed as anything other than a positive. Even if it does make the front office’s life that much harder as they try to look ahead to the 2026 offseason.
Get that bag, Ayo!
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