Kris Dunn
VITALS
From:
Providence
Height/weight:
6-foot-4, 205 pounds
2015-16 stats (senior):
Points:
16.4
Rebounds:
5.3
Assists
6.2
Steals
2.5
Overview
A rare elite draft prospect who exhausted all four years of his college eligibility, Kris Dunn potentially could’ve been a mid-first-round draft pick in 2015, but opted to return to Providence for a final season. The decision appears to have paid off, because the Friars standout is now listed as a lottery lock by everyone, possibly going in the top five. Although players who stay in college longer are sometimes downgraded as having less “upside” and room for improvement, many see the experience and maturity he gained as a plus. A scout told SI.com that the point guard is “John Wall with B-plus athleticism instead of A-plus.”
NBA Draft Combine Q&A
Dunn was among the players who spoke to Pelicans.com and other media members at the draft combine in Chicago last month. A portion of the conversation:
The Pelicans run an up-tempo system that is point guard-oriented. Is that kind of system appealing?
What do you think are your biggest strengths?
Who do you model your game after in the NBA?
Post-lottery projections
Where various prominent NBA websites predict he will be picked, along with excerpted comments from the respective mock drafts:
- NBA.com (eighth to Kings): “He is a very good fit in Sacramento. Even if Rajon Rondo re-signs, it’s not likely he will be around for many years. And if Rondo does return, Dunn could possibly move right into the opening lineup at age 22 and be more developed physically and emotionally than most of the draft class.”
- ESPN.com (fifth to Timberwolves): “Tom Thibodeau, the new president and coach, believes in defense first, and Kris Dunn is an elite defender. Taking him would give them flexibility, should they choose to trade Ricky Rubio.”
- The Vertical (fifth to Timberwolves): “Dunn could get picked a few slots higher, but he likely will have no qualms about landing with a team like Minnesota, which has an abundance of young talent. Dunn is the best point guard in the draft, and at 22 he should be polished enough to join the outstanding young core the Timberwolves have built with Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins.”
- SI.com (eighth to Kings): “For a Kings team that just spent the year depending on Rajon Rondo and Darren Collison, Dunn would make a lot of sense as a long-term solution. He’d also be a steal if he falls this low.”
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