Ayo Dosunmu will start the season as the Bulls’ starting point guard

CHICAGO — Just a year ago, many were wondering how much the former Morgan Park High School and Illinois standout could bring to his hometown NBA team.

A year later, after a groundbreaking regular season, Ayo Dosunmu will have an important role for the team at the start of the 2022-2023 season.

After the Bulls’ final exhibition game against the Bucks Tuesday night at the United Center, head coach Billy Donovan announced the player will be a sophomore starting at point guard to start the upcoming season.

“He’s basically going to start there for us,” Donovan said Tuesday. “I feel very comfortable with him (as a starter).”

Dosunmu will be the first to get the chance to fill in for Lonzo Ball, who is out for an unknown length of time after a second operation on his left knee in late September 2022. Veteran Goran Dragic, who signed with the team this offseason, will also see time at the position, with Coby White and rookie Dalen Terry also likely to fill in from the bench.

But it’s the Chicago native who will make the point with the starters to begin the season next Wednesday, Oct. 19, when the Bulls take on the Heat in Miami.

In four preseason games, Dosunmu has averaged 10.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists while playing an average of 24.5 minutes per contest. This comes after the guard had a strong rookie season after the Bulls picked him in the second round of the 2021 NBA draft when Dosunmu started 40 of the 77 games in which he played for the playoff team.

The guard averaged 8.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists per contest and joined others in replacing injured ball in the 2021-2022 season.

While Donovan praised Dragic’s ability to use his experience to help the Bulls over the next year, he felt Dosunmu deserved the chance to start.

“Ayo will be the guy back there for us now. He’s done a really good job in this training camp and the pre-season games,” said Donovan.