Illinois got its man on Thursday as five-star 2018 guard Ayo Dosunmu, the top-ranked prospect in the state, committed to the first year coaching staff in Champaign. The commitment of Dosunmu to the Big Ten program is a giant victory for Brad Underwood and his staff.

A 6-foot-4 lead guard that has become known for his scoring skills and competitive mentality, Dosunmu didn't land his first scholarship offer until May of his sophomore year. He grew over four inches and developed into a priority recruit for several national powers before committing to Illinois over Wake Forest on Thursday.

Slated to be the first five-star prospect to make it to Illinois since Dee Brown in 2002, Dosunmu is excited about his commitment.

“I can come in and play in front of my home state. I want to do it for my home state and become the first five-star recruit to play for my state in a long time,” he said. “I just want to start a new trend.

“I know somebody would have to eventually do it. A team is never bad for so long. Just look at the Chicago Cubs; they were bad for 100 years but eventually they won the World Series. I just want to help start something new.”

The headliner for the Mac Irvin Fire program, Dosunmu finished top-five in both scoring and free throws made during his time on the Nike EYBL circuit this summer. He can be expected to add further firepower to Illinois’ backcourt as he can be leaned upon for his defensive versatility, half-court scoring skills and willingness to step-up in and lead during crunch time situations.

Dosunmu becomes just the second five-star recruit to commit to Illinois during the Rivals.com era dating back to 2002. He is the first member of the Illini's 2018 recruiting class as they will host fellow Chicago native and Rivals150 four-star wing Talen Horton-Tucker this weekend for an official visit.