Ayo Dosunmu

Ayo Dosunmu was born on January 17, 2000, in Chicago, Illinois. His father, of Nigerian descent, named him Ayo, which means “joy” in the Yoruba language. Dosunmu began his high school basketball career at Westinghouse College Prep in Chicago, where he helped secure a conference championship in 2015. He later transferred to Morgan Park High School, leading the Mustangs to consecutive IHSA Class 3A state championships during his junior and senior years. As a senior, he set an IHSA record for points scored in a championship game with 28 points. His high school performance earned him invitations to prestigious events such as the Jordan Brand Classic and the Iverson Roundball Classic in 2018. In October 2017, Dosunmu committed to play college basketball for the Illinois Fighting Illini.

During his college career at Illinois, Dosunmu quickly established himself as a key player. In his freshman season (2018–19), he earned a spot on the All-Big Ten Freshman Team. His sophomore year (2019–20) saw him named to the First Team All-Big Ten by the media. In his junior season (2020–21), Dosunmu achieved consensus first-team All-American honors and won the Bob Cousy Award as the nation’s top point guard. He also recorded two triple-doubles, becoming only the third player in Illinois program history to do so. In the 2021 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Championship game, he scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds, earning the Big Ten tournament Most Outstanding Player award. His number 11 jersey was honored by the Illini program in January 2022.

Dosunmu was drafted by his hometown team, the Chicago Bulls, in the second round of the 2021 NBA draft as the 38th pick. He signed a multi-year contract with the Bulls in August 2021. In December 2021, he joined the Bulls’ starting lineup, showcasing his abilities with 11 points, six rebounds, and eight assists in a victory against the Denver Nuggets. During his tenure with the Bulls, he recorded a career-high 34 points in March 2024 and achieved his first career triple-double in December 2024. In February 2026, he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he continued to demonstrate strong performances, including a career-high 43 points in April 2026. He re-signed with the Timberwolves in June 2026 on a five-year, $112 million contract.