Ayo Dosunmu has Joakim Noah in the engine | NBA

Since Lonzo Ball’s injury, Billy Donovan has trusted Ayo Dosunmu to lead. As Alex Caruso is also injured and Coby White is not really convincing in a starting role, it is the rookie who has the keys to the truck. So far, he’s led it pretty well since he’s amassed 12.7 points at 55% shooting success, 43% at 3-pts, 6.2 assists and 5.1 rebounds on average. And when he only scored 7 points, like against Portland, it was to better deliver 11 assists.

“The role of playmaker is not just about thinking about yourself”, he assures NBC Sports. “Of course, there are games where I have to be aggressive because the defenses are targeting Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan or Nikola Vucevic. Against the Blazers, I thought the best way to win was to offer easy shots. “

A stat from Ayo Dosunmu is striking: he has been playing almost 38 minutes on average for the past fortnight. Admittedly, he is not old since the player has just turned 22, but in addition to his youth, he especially has energy to spare.

“I take Joakim Noah as an example”, compares the coach of the Bulls. “It has a Noah-like engine, it runs constantly. When he’s tired, he’s almost mad at himself. He pushes the boundaries when some are struggling. When I was in Florida, I had players like that, with incredible stamina: So Noah, Udonis Haslem, Al Horford, David Lee. Ayo is like that. “

He broke the rookie wall

While some rookies are probably waiting for the All-Star Game cut to breathe, Ayo Dosunmu is more active than ever and continues the long minutes on the court. Last season, at university, he played 28 matches. This Tuesday evening, against the Magic, he will already be playing his 46th game in less than three months…

“The rookie wall is, in my opinion, more mental than physical”, assures Billy Donovan. “The fatigue is mental because there are many matches in a short time. But He handles it all very well. “

Ayo Dosunmu has only one idea in mind: to do more, always more, even when the reservoirs seem empty.

“I always say it: your mind tells you that you are tired, when there is still 60 or 70% left”, says the rookie. “I train my mind for this. So when I think I’m exhausted, which is probably an impulse at the time, I keep digging, digging deep. “