3 Bulls players who have massively outperformed preseason expectations

2. Ayo Dosunmu

All too often we see rookie guards get started off hot in their first year in the NBA, just to end up having a difficult time maintaining their positive momentum once opposing teams adjust to their play style. Ayo Dosunmu looks to have dodged the infamous sophomore slump, however, as he’s managed to elevate his game and become even an even better version of the player who was named to the All-Rookie Second Team just six months ago.

As a 22-year-old rookie, the experience Dosunmu gained at Illinois has helped alleviate the struggles many other sophomores face when playing a leading role against elite competition. Best of all, he’s defying what the scouting reports said about him on draft day, as his age hasn’t seemed to affect his perceived future potential in the slightest.

Through four games, Dosunmu has improved his scoring output, vastly increased not only his 3-point efficiency but also his volume, cut down on the turnovers, and displayed a general sense of assertiveness we haven’t seen from a player drafted by this franchise in quite some time. From Lauri Markkanen to Wendell Carter Jr., to Coby White, and now to Patrick Williams, no one else has appeared quite as capable of seizing the moment as Ayo.

Even if we ignore how Dosunmu passes the eye test, his raw statistical production speaks to his growth as a well-rounded player.

• Dosunmu in 2021-22: 8.8 PTS, 2.8 REB, 3.3 AST, 1.4 TOV, 58.5 eFG%, 2.4 3PA
• Dosunmu in 2022-23: 12.8 PTS, 5.3 REB, 2.8 AST, 1.0 TOV, 63.8 eFG%, 4.5 3PA

The advanced statistics also support his claim, as his true shooting percentage has risen 4.2% and he’s on pace to contribute 6.2 win shares this season — more than double his mark of 3.0 last season. Granted, four games is far too small of a sample size to make over-arching assumptions that Dosunmu can maintain this level of play, but the fact he has improved in so many areas of the game in just one summer bodes extremely well for his long-term outlook.