How Ayo Dosunmu gracefully embraced his move to a reserve role

Ayo is showing he’s all about winning, not who starts or comes off the bench.

© Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

Moving from the starting five to the bench is never an easy transition. It's one that many players — old and new — have struggled with. Names such as Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony come to mind when talking about All-Stars who played through such a situation.

The dynamic can be trickier when it involves a young player like Ayo Dosunmu of the Chicago Bulls — a sophomore guard trying to make a name for himself. But instead of sulking or pouting, Dosunmu has displayed professionalism and grace in accepting his new role.

Starting five shake-up

With the Bulls struggling a quarter into the season, head coach Billy Donovan thought it best to give the team's starting five a jolt by replacing starters Ayo Dosunmu and Patrick Williams with veterans Alex Caruso and Javonte Green. Although the Bulls have yet to gain a clear picture of what their new starting five can do after Green got injured a game after he was thrust into the starting five, the move still sparked a positive response from the team.

AC & Woo are ready to start vs. the Warriors. pic.twitter.com/adQ883a45j

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) December 3, 2022

Despite this, Dosunmu showed the most maturity and professionalism when accepting his new role. He did it without making a fuss or showing any signs of disappointment, instead taking on the challenge to prove himself off the bench and help the team in whatever way he could.

"I have a great relationship with coach, so we talked about it for a lengthy time. It was about the team," Dosunmu said. "He wanted to shake it up, change some things up, to try to find out different ways to help our team win, and also try to create opportunities where I'm in a position to be aggressive."

Impact off the bench

Now freed from having to play with ball-dominant playmakers like DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, Dosunmu can use his speed and quickness to make plays for himself and others. As a result, we've seen an uptick in efficiency from Dosunmu in his minutes off the bench.

Dosunmu added that he's still going to play with confidence and hustle but also be aware of the team's best interest when it comes to ball movement and shot selection.

"I'm still a playmaker. But the more games I play, the more the game slows down for me, and I'm able to get in the lane," Dosunmu said. "And just playing with confidence. I always say, that's all it is. Coming in right away, trying to insert myself into the game on both ends and continuing to get better, continuing to get more comfortable out there and continuing to gain the coaching staff's trust."

Ayo making it happen!@AyoDos_11 | @NBCSChicago pic.twitter.com/raqUQSgSqc

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) December 8, 2022