Prospect Analysis: Kris Dunn with Player Comparisons
The NuggLove prospect analysis is now moved onto Providence senior guard Kris Dunn.
After a struggling sophomore year at Providence, Kris Dunn turned it all around his junior and senior year as he averaged 15.6 and 16.4 points per game respectively. Dunn is highly regarded as the best point guard that will be drafted come June 23rd.
As a lock to be at least a lottery pick, Kris Dunn has been all over big boards being inside the top 3 to not even top 5. The 2x Big East player of the year is one of the most intriguing prospects in the draft partially because of his NBA-ready 6-3, 205 pound body frame.
Upside: Team Lead, Shooter, Body Size
Downside: Decision Making, Shooting
I love Kris Dunn personally, but I can also see why some teams are going to back off of him draft night. Dunn averaged 4.2 and 3.5 turnovers a game his junior and senior year respectively. The Providence point guard was also the main ball-handler for that team, and he was asked to score in quantity.
Yes, shooting for Dunn is both a good and bad thing. He was below a 70% free throw shooter his last year in Providence which needs to be improved, and he shot less than 38% from three on the shorter three point line, which can also be improved. But, like before, he was asked to do so much for Providence that these stats could mislead you to how good Dunn really is.
Dunn will most likely end up either taken by the Celtics at No. 3 or with the T-Wolves at No. 5 or maybe the Pelicans at No.6. They would all probably snag him before he could fall to Denver.
Check out this video on Dunn and watch for how much potential there is inside of him as he crosses up his defender and goes for the SLAM.
https://twitter.com/BigEastTourney/status/736726698830401536
PLAYER COMPARISONS
Upside: Damian Lillard. Dollar Dam. How does Dangerous Dunn sound? Damian averaged 21.4 points per game while at Weber State which is most likely what Dunn would have done at a mid-major college too. Damian averaged only 6.3 assists a game in his time at Weber State which does not compare well to Dunn’s 7.5 and 6.2 per game in his junior and senior year respectively.
This almost seems like a perfect fit. Dunn is extremely explosive just as Damian was and still is. Dunn can shoot (and hopefully will improve), and so could Damian coming out of college. Maybe comparisons like this is why NBA executives saliva over getting their hands on this talent.
Downside: Jrue Holiday. This is a pretty crazy downside because Jrue is a quality point guard in a league full of elite point guards. Jrue Holiday was picked No. 17 in the 2009 NBA Draft, and he was not as highly regarded as Dunn is coming out of college.
Both standing at 6-3, Dunn’s defensive prowess can set him in a level about the New Orleans point guard, but Jrue who has averaged over 14 points per game and 6 assists per game his last 5 seasons is basically Dunn if he does not develop his superstar potential.
must read: Denver's Top 5 Free Agent Targets
Dunn is pretty unlikely to end up being the tail end of the first batch of quality players, but he may fall to Denver if teams feel that players such as Hield, Brown, Murray, and Bender show more potential. But I doubt it, sorry Denver. You probably will not get Dangerous Dunn.