Pitt Guard Undergoes Surgery

A Pitt Panthers guard, who was injured, underwent surgery.

Nov 15, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers guard Damian Dunn (1) warms up before a game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers will have one of their best guards out for a significant amount of time, after he recently underwent surgery.

The program announced that graduate student guard Damian Dunn underwent surgery to repair a right thumb injury and that it is expected he will miss the next six weeks. He also suffered a left ankle sprain and will rehab that while out as well.

Dunn suffered an injury in the 81-75 loss to the ranked No. 19 Wisconsin on Nov. 24 in the Greenbrier Tip-Off Championship in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. He suffered a fall just two minutes in and had to come off the court. Dunn needed help off the court, not putting any pressure on it and went into the locker room.

He would come out of the locker room, with help from medical staff before going back in. He then came out minutes later in a wheelchair, according to George Michalowski of Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Dunn did report back to the bench, never coming back in the game, with his hand wrapped and still not putting pressure on his left foot.

Damian Dunn is back on the #Pitt bench. He has a wrap on his hand, and is not putting any weight on his left foot. pic.twitter.com/LNOWGheqe2

— George Michalowski (@MichalowskiCBB) November 25, 2024

The six weeks that Dunn will miss makes it seven games that he won't have a chance to participate in.

This includes Ohio State on Nov. 29, No. 25 Mississppi State for the ACC/SEC Challenge on Dec. 4 and the ACC opener vs. Virginia Tech on Dec. 7, all on the road.

It also includes the final two home non-conference matchups vs. Eastern Kentucky on Dec. 11 and Sam Houston State on Dec. 21. The last two games he'll miss, if he does come back in the six-week period, are the first two ACC home games vs. Cal on Jan. 1, New Year's Day, and Stanford on Jan. 4.

The first game Dunn would return for in this time frame is a road trip to No. 11 Duke on Jan. 7. He would come back for the final 17 ACC games of the season, and Pitt will need him the rest of the way.

Dunn has served as one of the best players for Pitt this season, third on the team with 13.0 points per game and averaging 25.2 minutes and 2.5 rebounds per game, while starting the first six contests. He has also shot 50.0% from the field, 52.6% from 3-point range and 75.0% from the foul line.

He starred in the 86-62 win over rival West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl at the Petersen Events Center on Nov. 15. He scored a team-high 23 points and shot 7-for-12 from the field, 4-for-7 from 3-point range and 5-for-7 from the free throw line.

Dunn also had a great game in the 83-68 win vs. Murray State at home on Nov. 8. He scored 19 points, shot 6-for-11 from the floor, 3-for-5 from 3-point range and 4-for-6 from the foul line.

He hails from Kinston, N.C. and played for Meadowcreek High School in the Atlanta metro.

Dunn would commit to Temple and played for them for four seasons from 2019-23. His best season came in his last, 2022-23, putting up career-highs of 15.3 points and 3.0 assists per game, while shooting 41.1% from the field, 34.8% from 3-point range and 81.4% from the foul line.

He would eventually transfer to Houston for his fifth season, starting just four of the 37 games he played in, averaging 6.4 points and 2.3 rebounds per game last season and shooting 35.9% from the field, 31.7% from 3-point range and 70.6% from the foul line as well.

Dunn chose to come to Pitt ahead of this season and head coach Jeff Capel and his teammates will hope he's ready in early January.

This is the second injury that the Panthers have dealt with so far this season, as freshman guard Amsal Delalić suffered an injury to his shooting hand in late September, which kept him out six weeks into the first two games of the season.

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