‘From Chicago …’ the Ayo Dosunmu takeover continues for the BullsJoe Cowleyon December 7, 2021 at 4:15 pm

“I like to be proud to say I’m from Chicago because I know the ups and downs of the city,” the Bulls’ Ayo Dosunmu said. “Any time I get an opportunity to show love to where I came from, I always love to do that.’’ | Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

The combo guard got his first start of the season on Monday, and continued impacting winning for the undermanned Bulls. The problem? What happens when Coby White returns this time?

The magnitude of the moment had to be explained to Ayo Dosunmu.

Kids.

Fortunately for the Bulls, that was the rookie’s only kid moment of the evening.

After the impressive 109-97 win over the Nuggets on Monday, the former Morgan Park High School standout was asked about his first NBA start, and being introduced as “From Chicago … ‘’ rather than from his college — the University of Illinois.

It took a jump over the head of the 21 year old for a few seconds, before he was reminded of the significance of that introduction. “From Chicago … ‘’ was how Derrick Rose used to be announced in his tenure with the Bulls.

“Yeah, he’s from Chicago too,’’ Dosunmu said, as he settled in on the similarity. “We’re both from the South Side. … That’s a bonus of course because he’s a legend and everything he did for the city of Chicago. Being from Chicago of course, there are areas I look up to his journey.

“I like to be proud to say I’m from Chicago because I know the ups and downs of the city. I’ve been here my whole life. I’ve seen so many things, so much tragedy. For me to be in this position, doing what I love at the highest level, any time I get an opportunity to show love to where I came from, I always love to do that.’’

Oh, and he’s doing it.

The second-round pick continued showing his development, not only starting for an undermanned roster against Denver, being matched up against veteran Jeff Green, but also playing a major impact in the win, as Dosunmu put in 42 minutes of work, scored 11 points, had eight assists, grabbed six rebounds, and even notched a steal.

Bigger picture? Since Nov. 1, games in which Dosunmu has played at least 18 minutes, the Bulls have a ridiculous 10-1 record. In games that it’s been less than 18 minutes, how about a 2-6 record?

“I really love coaching him because you can really, really talk to him in a way that he wants the truth,’’ coach Billy Donovan said of Dosunmu. “He wants to get better. He wants to grow. He wants to hear what he’s got to do to improve, and for me as a coach, when you see a young man with that much hunger and desire to want to be good, he wants to hear it all. I really, really respect that about him.

“It’s his makeup. It’s who he is as a competitor. There may be guys that shoot it better than him. There may be guys who are faster than him. There may be guys more athletic than him. But he’s got a big heart and he competes and he impacts winning. He, I think in a lot of ways, makes a lot of timely plays that impact winning.’’

And that’s where it gets interesting.

Donovan knew that juggling Dosunmu’s playing time with Coby White’s once White returned from offseason shoulder surgery would be tricky. Before White was lost again after entering the league’s health and safety protocol last week, in his previous five games the Bulls were just 2-3 and White earned more minutes than Dosunmu in all of those games except one.

Coincidence? Not likely.

“He’s unfazed … that’s the thing I love about him,’’ Donovan added of Dosunmu.

And his teammates feel basically the same way about the wide-eyed rookie.

“He got that swag to him,’’ point guard Lonzo Ball said. “He’s very confident when he’s out there. We put 100 percent trust into him.’’

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