Dosunmu gets Rising Stars assignment; learns from Toronto ending
The NBA released rosters Friday for the Rising Stars challenge during All-Star Weekend.
Bulls rookie Ayo Dosunmu landed on Team Payton, a squad headed by NBA legend Gary Payton. His teammates are Charlotte's LaMelo Ball, Indiana's Chris Duarte, Toronto's Scottie Barnes, Sacramento's Davion Mitchell, Minnesota's Jaden McDaniels and Scoot Henderson from G-League Ignite.
The four Rising Stars teams will play semifinals and a championship on Fri., Feb. 18 in Cleveland. The semis will have a target score of 50, and the championship is first to 25.
Before Friday's game in Indiana, Bulls coach Billy Donovan reflected on Dosunmu's performance in Toronto the previous night. He finished the game with just 3 turnovers, but 2 of them happened in the final minute of overtime.
With the Bulls trailing by 2, Dosunmu tried to drive baseline, got cut off and had a pass deflected by long-armed forward Chris Boucher. On the other end of the floor, Javonte Green deflected a pass and Dosunmu caught it out of the air with about 40 seconds left. But he tired to hit Zach LaVine with a quick outlet pass, Toronto's Gary Trent Jr. saw it coming and stepped in for the steal. That possession ended with a backbreaking 3 by Trent.
"I talked to him this morning about both situations," Donovan said. "I give him credit, he knew, he watched film on his own on the plane. He probably just should have waited for the floor to clear a little bit (before the pass to LaVine).
"The other turnover ... he took one dribble and picked it up. He's got to keep his dribble alive, spin dribble back out, get out of trouble. You're pinned over there if you don't keep your dribble alive, it certainly becomes very difficult to throw it out of there.
"So those are two things he can learn from. I have a lot of confidence in him and he'll figure those things out the more he's in those situations."
Here are the other Rising Stars rosters:
Team Barry: Cade Cunningham (Det), Evan Mobley (Cle), Isaac Okoro (Cle), Franz Wagner (Orl), Alperen Sengun (Hou), Jae'Sean Tate (Hou), Dyson Daniels (Ignite).
Team Isiah: Anthony Edwards (Min), Tyrese Haliburton (Sac), Desmond Bane (Mem), Saddiq Bey (Det), Isaiah Stewart (Det), Precious Achiuwa (Tor), Jaden Hardy (Ignite).
Team Worthy: Cole Anthony (Orl), Josh Giddey (OKC), Jalen Green (Hou), Jalen Suggs (Orl), Herbery Jones (NO), Tyrese Maxey (Phi), MarJon Beauchamp (Ignite)
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