Bulls: 3 reasons Ayo Dosunmu should start if Lonzo isn’t ready for opener

2. Dosunmu needs the experience more

The Chicago Bulls are a team that’s given up tanking and is clearly trying to win as many games as possible now, but that doesn’t mean they have to sacrifice player development entirely. If the Bulls wish for Dosunmu to be part of the core down the road, granting him the temporary opportunity to showcase his worth could be a great idea.

At this point in his career, we know who Alex Caruso is. He’s an incredibly intelligent defender and playmaker with a surprising burst of athleticism to match; but when it comes to sheer talent, Dosunmu simply has him outmatched.

In four years at Texas A&M, Caruso averaged 8 points per game and was altogether not too inspiring of a prospect, hence why he went undrafted in 2016. Ayo, in direct contrast, was a consensus All-American and superstar at Illinois who averaged 20.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game as a junior.

You can add two-time All-Big Ten and 2021 Big Ten tournament MVP to his list of accomplishments, as Dosunmu left behind quite the legacy when he led Illinois to their best season since 2005.

There are simply levels to this. Dosunmu is the type of player who has proven he can win at every level. Whether that means he’s the star of a college team or serving as a workhorse off an NBA bench, he’ll always find a way to impact the game positively.

His age may have held him back at the draft, but for the Bulls, those extra years in college were nothing but preparation for Ayo to step into the spotlight on the biggest stage of them all. A strong sophomore showing from Dosunmu as the starting point guard could radically affect Chicago’s long-term outlook. That’s something you can’t say about any other player on the bench unit right now.