On Nov. 13, the Bradley men’s basketball team began a new chapter in the history book that already contains so many thrilling moments. The first page of this chapter was more thrilling than all that had come before for Braves’ freshman combo-guard Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye.
On that night, Lautier-Ogunleye, or “D-LO,” as he has come to be known to teammates, dropped in 18 points and grabbed eight boards against Ball State and has been playing a big role during critical moments for the Braves ever since – not a bad start to a new college career and a different set of surroundings in a foreign country.
Like three of his Bradley teammates, Lautier-Ogunleye grew up playing basketball outside the United States. He attended high school at Bristol Academy in London, England, which was linked to the Bristol Flyers of the British Basketball League (BBL). Along with playing in the BBL, he was able to play for Great Britain’s U18 and U20 national teams.
“Only the best get to play for their country,” Lautier-Ogunleye said. “It’s great because I’m [playing] for more than just myself.”
Lautier-Ogunleye was recruited to Bradley by assistant coach Drew Adams. When he came for a visit, he said he really loved campus and the history of the school.
“I could see myself actually being here and being part of a young team that gets to build a legacy,” Lautier-Ogunleye said. “I thought I could have an impact on the team straight away as a freshman, which was really appealing to me.”
But coming across the pond came with a lot of changes. Playing a different style of basketball in the U.S. is definitely something Lautier-Ogunleye had to get used to.
“It’s a lot faster and a lot stronger here,” he said. “Guys are used to playing a lot more aggressively, and they’re a lot more consistently athletic.”
After spending the first 22 games as a starter, Lautier-Ogunleye has taken on a new role coming off the bench for the Braves the past two games, averaging 13 points per game in that span.
“Coming off the bench gives me time to see at the start of games how the other team is playing us,” he said. “I’ve been getting a slight advantage because I can see which gaps to attack and where teams can be exposed, because some things you can’t see on the floor and sometimes you have to be off the court to notice it.”
Though this Braves team is very young, Lautier-Ogunleye said he believes they’ve been showing gradual improvement, and playing at a higher level together rather than purely as individuals.
“We’ve been growing a lot over the year,” he said. “A lot of it has been behind closed doors, but it’s starting to translate more onto the floor now. We had to learn on the go, where as most freshmen get to learn from the bench for a couple years and learn from older players ahead.”
Through a lot of playing time this season, Lautier-Ogunleye has established himself as an impotant piece in Bradley’s rotation, averaging 32 minutes per game. That’s good for sixth in terms of freshman minutes per game nationally. But Lautier-Ogunleye said those minutes aren’t wearing him down even toward the end of the conference season.
“I thought I’d be fatigued,” he said, “But the adrenaline of knowing that this is the crunch time now … and everything matters a little bit more has just taken over, and I don’t feel anything.”
The Braves are entering the most important time of the year as the conference tournament approaches, and Bradley students can be sure the thrill and energy that permeated through Lautier-Ogunleye on the first page of the chapter will undoubtedly be felt on the last and carry over to next year.
