Bulls guard Dosunmu added as injury replacement for Rising Stars games
Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu said he was taking his usual pregame nap when his agent called to tell him he'd been added to the Rising Stars Challenge during NBA All-Star Weekend.
Fortunately, he hadn't made any vacation plans.
"I didn't have nothing planned yet," Dosunmu said Thursday before facing the Milwaukee Bucks. "I was just going with the flow."
Dosunmu was added to a team coached by another former Illini star, Deron Williams. The second-year Bulls guard is replacing Houston's Jalen Green. The other coaches in the Rising Stars are both former Bulls, Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol. There's not much time to get ready, since the tournament will be played Friday beginning at 8 p.m. in Salt Lake City.
"He (Williams) is going to play me all the minutes, it's cool," Dosunmu said with a laugh. "I actually just talked to him about a week and a half ago. Just checked in because when I was going through my predraft process, he was a big mentor for me, just giving me advice. What to expect in the NBA, how can I prepare, things of that nature."
The Rising Stars is now a mini-tournament, featuring three teams of first- and second-year players, along with one team of G League stars, coached by Jason Terry. There will be two semifinal games with a target score of 40, and a championship with a target score of 25.
Dosunmu played in the Rising Stars event last year in Cleveland. He finished with 5 points and 2 assists, while his team, coach by Gary Payton, lost a close game in the semifinals.
"I was just talking to DeMar (DeRozan), he was telling me how he got snubbed (for Rising Stars) one year, so for me to be chosen back-to-back, it's a blessing," Dosunmu said.
"It's a blessing anytime you get acknowledged to be able to do that, it's a blessing because you go on down the list of players that played in this game, there's a lot of great talent. Of course I'm a competitor, I'm going to try to win, that's the main goal, and also have fun. Grateful to have the opportunity to be there."
The other players on Team Deron are Atlanta's A.J. Griffin, Orlando's Franz Wagner, Utah's Walker Kessler, New Orleans' Trey Murphy, Houston's Alperen Sengun and the Clippers' Bones Hyland. The three coaches drafted teams last week.
Houston forward Tari Eason, who was chosen one pick before the Bulls took Dalen Terry last year, was named an injury replacement for Detroit's Jalen Duren on Team Joakim.
Dosunmu, a South Side native, has started 48 of the Bulls' 56 games this season, averaging 9.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists.
Even though DeRozan missed his second game with a right quad strain Thursday, the Bulls said he's still expected to play in Sunday's All-Star Game.
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