Illinois star Ayo Dosunmu writes 'Thank you' note to Illini fans after NCAA Tournament exit

Illinois’ season ended suddenly over the weekend with a 71-58 loss to Loyola.

By Monday, star guard Ayo Dosunmu was ready to say “Thank you” to Illinois fans for the support over the years. He sent out a heartfelt message on Twitter:

I’m incredibly proud of all that my brothers and I accomplished this season. We didn’t get the deep run we’d hoped for, but it’s a new era for @IlliniMBB that’s only just begun!

Thanks for the love #IlliniNation! It’s an honor to suit up in 🔸🔹, and I’m #Illini4Life.#JL4L🤙🏾 pic.twitter.com/fYn9mhfvLy

— Mr WhyNotMe (@AyoDos_11) March 22, 2021

“I’m incredibly proud of all that my brothers and I accomplished this season,” Dosunmu wrote. “We didn’t get the deep run we’d hoped for, but it’s a new era for [Illinois basketball] that’s only just begun!”

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That message seems to be an indication that the junior guard will make the jump to the NBA. That’s an expected move, as Dosunmu is currently projected to land in the second half of the first round.

Despite the loss to Loyola, Dosunmu had an outstanding season and career for the Illini. He scored a career-high 20.1 points per game this season and also produced 6.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists per contest.

Perhaps most importantly, he led Illinois to its first Big Ten Tournament Championship since 2005.