Since announcing his commitment to Illinois almost a decade ago, Ayo Dosunmu has built himself an impressive list of accolades, ranging from Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year to a consensus first-team All-American selection with his jersey hanging in the State Farm Center rafters. Now, Dosunmu has added another one to his collection: a 2026 Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame inductee.
Dosunmu and the other inductees, including all-time rebounding leader James Augustine, were recognized for their accomplishments at the Illinois Hall of Fame Induction Gala Friday evening, an honor Dosunmu described as “a dream.” He is the youngest Illini athlete to be inducted.
“If I would have told you when I committed, 2018, that in eight years, you would have your jersey retired, you would be a part of one of the best Illinois teams, you would get drafted to the NBA and then you would sign a $100 million-plus contract while being inducted into the Hall of Fame, sign me up fast,” Dosunmu said.
At a time when playing basketball at Illinois wasn’t a “cool” or popular choice, the Chicago native took a chance on newly hired head coach Brad Underwood. The Illini hadn’t been to an NCAA tournament since 2013, and Champaign wasn’t exactly an NBA factory. Dosunmu “didn’t know too much about” Underwood at first, but after many conversations and leaning on his faith, Illinois emerged as the clear choice.
“In order for me to invest in my legacy, I have to invest in the University; I have to invest into what you’re saying,” Dosunmu said. “How can you make me a better player? How can you help me market me better? How can you help me be able to articulate better? … And I had belief in (Underwood), of course, but at the same time, it’s a huge decision. So I prayed a lot … and the more I prayed … I knew Illinois was the school for me, and this is where I’m gonna pour my belief into.”
That belief was well placed. A 12-21 freshman season was a slow start, but momentum quickly shifted. Dosunmu helped Illinois to a fourth-place finish in the Big Ten during his COVID-19-shortened sophomore year while averaging 16.6 points per game on 48.4% shooting from the field.
Ultimately, the unexpected end to the 2019-20 season influenced Dosunmu’s decision to return to Champaign for his junior year. Ahead of that season, the goal was simple and clear for Dosunmu and his teammates, and it was based on the foundation set during the previous year.
“We all had a common goal,” Dosunmu said. “And that common goal was to try to win a national championship, and we knew we had an opportunity to do so. And that whole season was locked in.”
Although Illinois’ 2020-21 team fell short of raising a national championship banner, falling in the second round of the NCAA tournament, its Big Ten tournament title and No. 1 seed in March Madness redefined Illinois basketball’s standard. Illinois hadn’t been a No. 1 seed since the historic 2005 season. Dosunmu’s belief in Underwood’s philosophies, alongside his undeniable work ethic and in-game production, was instrumental in rebuilding the program to its former glory.
Dosunmu averaged 20.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.2 assists during his junior season and was a National Player of the Year candidate. That led to him being selected No. 38 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft by his hometown team, the Chicago Bulls, and becoming a blueprint for top talent choosing, and succeeding, at Illinois.
Terrence Shannon Jr. transferred to Illinois in 2022 and was one of the best players in the country and a first-round pick in 2024. Kasparas Jakučionis, one of Europe’s brightest young stars, and Will Riley, Illinois’ highest-ever ranked recruit, became the No. 20 and 21 overall picks in 2025. And just last season, Keaton Wagler had the greatest freshman year in program history, becoming a consensus second-team All-American and being selected No. 5 overall in the 2026 draft.
It doesn’t stop there, though. This offseason, the Illini added five-star freshman guard Quentin Coleman and retained multiple future pros who are legitimate 2027 draft prospects. The influx of talent at Illinois has been plentiful the last few years, and Dosunmu was the match that lit the fuse.
“That’s why I committed to the University of Illinois, to be able to have guys like Terrence transfer, and elite players wanting to come play for Illinois,” Dosunmu said. “I’m just blessed to be a part of the change.”
While Dosunmu clearly had a lasting impact on Illinois, his experience as an Illini has also stuck with him in the NBA, especially the relationship with his former head coach. Dosunmu credited Underwood as someone who helped him “maximize his full potential,” not only as a basketball player, but also to be a better person.
“I would say the main thing I loved about him was his tough love, and his ability to get the most out of me, and never settle for less,” Dosunmu said. “He never once cared about my feelings in terms of, I can’t coach him hard … And when you get to the NBA, and you get in different positions, I seen coach Underwood, so there’s nothing worse I can see … He taught me life lessons.”
That preparation for what he was going to see at the NBA level is exactly what Dosunmu hoped he would get at Illinois. And now, five years into an NBA career with almost $25 million earned and $112 million on the way, Dosunmu knows that he made the right bet. The 5 a.m. workouts at Ubben, summers spent grinding in Champaign, tough love from Underwood — those were the building blocks Dosunmu needed to construct his “well-blessed legacy.”
“You got to just keep going, you got to just keep chopping wood, you got to keep climbing,” Dosunmu said. “And if I could watch a video of myself now, not knowing what would happen in the future, I would just be telling him, ‘Just keep going. The work shows. It’s going to pay off.’”
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