Getty Ayo Dosunmu during shoot-around.
When Ayo Dosunmu made his ninth shot in Monday’s 111-110 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, he once again made history for the Chicago Bulls.
The shot was not just his ninth make, but his ninth attempt. Before Dosunmu, not a single Bulls rookie had ever started a game 9-for-9 from the field.
Not Dosunmu’s First Record
The 22-year-old rookie has been on a tear this season, scoring at elite efficiency, defending at a high level and making it difficult for head coach Billy Donovan to take him out of the lineup.
In fact, Dosunmu has played so well, this isn’t even the first record he’s set this year.
Just a little over a week ago, Dosunmu became the first rookie to ever score 20 points, dish 10 assists and connect on 90% of his shots in a game.
Monday’s accomplishment represents the second record for Dosunmu attached to efficiency.
On the season, Dosunmu is hitting 54.5% of his total shots, including 45.1% from downtown, making him not only one the most efficient rookies in the league, but players overall.
Learning From Teammates
The rookie seems to have picked up habits from his All-Star teammates Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, especially in regards to shot-selection.
With DeRozan out due to rest, Dosunmu settled comfortably into the mid-range area, a stable of DeRozan’s, mimicking the veteran’s production through an array of pull-ups.
Only, Dosunmu didn’t settle there. Taking a page out of LaVine’s book, the rookie also got it going from behind the three-point line, hitting 4-of-6 from range, finishing with 24 points, a career-high.
At one point, Dosunmu even channeled point guard Lonzo Ball with a near full-length pass, proving once and for all how he’s learning from his veteran teammates.
While the former Illinois product might not grab a ton of headlines this season, he’s been nothing short of instrumental to Chicago’s depth. If the Bulls are to live up to the expectations of finishing fifth in Finals odds, they are going to need him.