Billy Donovan says Ayo Dosunmu's ability to handle adversity is helping him thrive in the NBA

"He leans into adversity and looks at it as a challenge and not a threat."

© Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Many eyebrows were raised when news of Ayo Dosunmu re-signing with the Chicago Bulls broke out during the offseason. After all, the Bulls already had Coby White and added then-free agent Jevon Carter to a loaded backcourt rotation. However, the former Illinois standout knew what he signed up for when he decided to return to the Bulls and viewed the situation as a challenge he could overcome and not cower from.

Since then, Dosunmu has been proving the doubters wrong and establishing himself as a valuable piece in the Bulls' puzzle. In fact, head coach Billy Donovan recently praised Dosunmu's ability to handle adversity and how it has helped him thrive in the NBA.

Starting role

While he was buried in the depth chart earlier this season, Dosunmu has since become a reliable cog for Donovan, often playing heavy minutes, playing key roles on both ends of the floor. He often hounds the opponent’s best perimeter players and pushes the tempo on offense, setting the pace for the Bulls' attack. He’s also become a stellar three-point shooter, making 39 percent of his long-range attempts—an incredible bounce back from last season when he shot only 31 percent from behind the arc.

Donovan said the odds were stacked against Dosunmu early on but wasn’t fazed by it.

“For whatever reason, he doesn’t get emotionally upset. I think it’s a huge, huge positive quality for him. He handles adversity extremely well,” Donovan said.

“He leans into adversity and looks at it as a challenge and not a threat. He gets more focused and energized in those situations. I really admire that.”

Paul George hits a 3 and Ayo Dosunmu hits the halftime buzzer beater 🚨🔥

(via @TomerAzarly) pic.twitter.com/wsG3MfhG7q

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 9, 2024

Laser-focused on the moment

It can be easy for NBA players to get frustrated when things don’t go well on the floor. However, Dosunmu has shown a unique ability to stay calm and focused, even in high-pressure situations.

“When you put your heart and soul into something and it’s not going well, it’s easy to get frustrated. For him, he just battles and fights and competes. Whether he makes a mistake or shot, you’d never know. He just goes onto the next play. And I think he’s been really trying to deliver that message to our entire team,” Donovan added.

Dosunmu explained that his family—in particular, his father—played a huge role in shaping his mentality on the court.

“I understand there are going to be flows in the game. I understand there are going to be runs. I just always try to tell the team we’re good. Take their run, keep going. Fight back. Keep staying with it and when the game is over, now we can look back at what we could’ve done differently,” Dosunmu explained.

“But there’s no need to be in the middle of the game and something doesn’t go our way and we complain or pout. That doesn’t do anything but continue the bleeding.”

The growth and consistency from Ayo Dosunmu has been fun to watch. pic.twitter.com/W8Moz2XkFh

— Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) March 9, 2024

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