An Ode to Ayo

First-year Illinois head coach Brad Underwood answers a question about his premium on getting a shot up in the first seven seconds of the shot clock roughly 14 times per day.

Each one of those highly analytical answers should be forwarded directly to five-star prospect Ayo Dosunmu. Dosunmu is the elongated return of the One-Man Fast-Break, a match made in heaven for Underwood and his self-proclaimed “assault on the rim”.

If you’re enough of an Illini fan to have clicked on this article, then I’m guaranteeing you already know about the 6-foot-5 star from Morgan Park (Chicago). Anyways, we’ll still talk about him — this is the Ode to Ayo.

Dosunmu announced this past week that he’s down to Wake Forest and Illinois — a thrilling conclusion to this recruitment is right around the bend. Last on his college tour is Champaign-Urbana this weekend, and unlike past five-star guard recruitments, there is no threat of Ayo being trapped at an airport in Indianapolis, or his father pushing him to Philadelphia to escape Chicago headlines. Ayo Dosunmu has been multiple staffs No. 1 target for the class of 2018, and as early as next week, years of watching his YouTube highlights could results in corks flying all over Ubben and the orange-blooded world.

How would Dosunmu fit in with the current cast at Illinois. It’d be an awful lot like Usain Bolt running the anchor leg of any 4 x 100 meter team.

Te’Jon Lucas well be a seasoned junior; Mark Smith, Trent Frazier, and Da’Monte Williams will be budding sophomores; and the highest rated of them all - AYO! Any one of those guards is capable of grabbing a rebound or a quick outlet, and then pushing it up to the guard with the most advantageous position.

Those of us old enough to remember 2004-2005 know exactly how beautiful basketball in the State Farm Center can be with multiple guards that can pass, dribble, shoot and RUN!

Illini fans have had enough recruiting heartbreak — it’s time to have some fun. Get your bubbly on ice, Champaign: It’s Ayo weekend!