Dosunmu says he plans to get a visible reminder of that motivation on his body during the offseason. It will be his first tattoo: the number 38.

Well, it looks like the NBA has awoken a beast!

Dosunmu may be elated that he fell to his hometown team, but he’s never let the good fortune surpass the motivation. Even on draft night, he was quick to question the decision 29 other teams made: “My friends and family know where my talent is, and they know there wasn’t 37 players better than me in this draft,” Dosunmu said. He felt the disrespect then, and I guess he’ll feel it every time he looks down at his future tattoo.

I know once the draft reached the 20s, I expected him to fall off the board. Not only was he the USA Today National Player of the Year and Bob Cousy Award Winner (best points guard in college basketball), but several teams looking to immediately compete were on the clock. Atlanta, New York, Denver, Brooklyn, and Philly were all sitting there looking to add talent to a roster they expected to be competing for the playoffs next season. Why not add a 21-year-old who just finished his junior season as one of the most well-rounded players in college basketball? If anyone could contribute right away it’s him, right?

Sure, perhaps the Illinois diploma that currently hangs above my desk had something to do with my high expectations for Dosunmu. But I’m also not the only one who saw a first-round talent. Mock Drafts at The Athletic, NBC Sports, CBS Sports, and Bleacher Report all had Dosunmu coming off the board before the 30th pick. He may have lacked a plainly elite skillset – and we all know age always plays a factor – but a plummet down the board didn’t feel likely. Or right.