Presented by Nationwide Insurance Agent Jeff Vukovich
NBC Sports Chicago is publishing a series of player profiles on the main rotational players for the Chicago Bulls, both reviewing their 2023-24 season and assessing what’s ahead.
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Next up: Ayo Dosunmu
Previous profiles: DeMar DeRozan
Bulls Analysis
2023-24 statistics
76 games, 29.1 minutes per game. 12.2 points per game, 3.2 rebounds per game, 2.8 assists per game, 0.9 steals per game.50.1% FG, 40.3% 3PT on 3.9 attempts per game, 60.4% True Shooting.
Contract status
Dosunmu has two years and $14.5 million remaining on the three-year, $21 million deal he signed last offseason.
Season review
A season that began with questions about Dosunmu’s status in the rotation ended with him starting and proving to be one of the franchise’s more valuable pieces.
Sound familiar? That’s what happened in Dosunmu’s rookie season too. And give the local product credit for bouncing back from a subpar second season to author such a strong campaign.
It starts with his 3-point shooting. After dropping from 37.6 to 31.2 percent his first two seasons, Dosunmu’s offseason work led to him shooting over 40 percent on career-high volume. Making this offensive weapon even more effective is the fact that Dosunmu remained dangerous in transition and finishing at the rim. His ability to push pace---often, scoring quickly after made baskets---and achieve paint penetration often jazzed a moribund offense.
It all led to Dosunmu setting his career-high scoring average by a whopping 3.4 points. He also shot over 50 percent for the second time in three seasons. Dosunmu doesn’t force shots and scores without plays called for him, merely spotting up for open 3-point shots or attacking the paint off typically smart pick-and-roll decisions.
Defensively, Dosunmu’s long arms, mental toughness and relentlessness make him effective. He again enjoyed particular success against Atlanta’s Trae Young.
A look ahead
Dosunmu’s durability should carve out another large rotational role, no matter the Bulls’ guard picture. He has never appeared in fewer than 76 games.
Each offseason, Dosunmu sets goals for himself. Last season, they mostly focused on improving his 3-point shot, but controlling pace more adeptly and improving conditioning also stood out. Dosunmu checked each of those boxes over his 76 games and career-high minutes played.
So what’s in store for this offseason? Dosunmu said he wants to continue improving his ability to change speeds with the ball and also further fine-tune his shot.
Dosummu attempted a career-high 1.4 free-throw attempts per game, but getting to the line more could be another area of growth. Particularly since Dosunmu is a career 77 percent free-throw shooter.
Like his fellow backcourt mates Coby White and Alex Caruso, Dosunmu is on an extremely team-friendly contract.