After a strong career at Illinois, Ayo Dosunmu is playing his rookie season in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls.

So far, Dosunmu has appeared in 38 games (4 starts) and is averaging 6.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 0.5 steals as a key depth piece for the Bulls. He also has some strong opinions on the contenders for the 2022 NCAA Tournament.

Tuesday night, Dosunmu with his top contenders for the national title. Unsurprisingly, Dosunmu touted his Illini as a serious contender but he said he also likes the chances of Purdue, Auburn, Kentucky, and Gonzaga.

Dosunmu’s pick for National Player of the Year is also someone he is very familiar with. He touted Illinois big man Kofi Cockburn as the top player in the country.

It is definitely not a bad pick by most measures. In 14 games, Cockburn is averaging a double-double with 21.1 points and 11.8 rebounds. That is in addition to Cockburn’s 1 assist, 1 block, and 0.9 steals per game while shooting 59% from the floor.

It is not surprising to see Dosunmu with some love for the Illini, but there is some merit to his takes as well. We will have to wait and see how his predictions hold up.