Is Ryan Dunn Already The Steal Of The 2024 NBA Draft?

The NBA regular season hasn’t even started yet, but Ryan Dunn is already displaying the makings of a steal for the Phoenix Suns.

Oct 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) controls the ball as Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) defends in the second quarter at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

As a prospect, Ryan Dunn was best known for his defensive ability. En route to earning ACC All-Defense honors last season, the Virginia wing wreaked havoc. He averaged 1.3 steals per game while also rejecting 2.3 shots per contest. Many of these plays were a result of his near-7-foot-2 wingspan, which in combination with his smarts, motor, hands, and timing, make him a game-wrecker on this end of the floor. The 6-foot-6 wing is a versatile weapon defensively, able to thrive in a plethora of different roles, including as an on-ball stopper and weak-side rim protector. 

However, the other side of the ball has always been the question mark with Dunn.

Last season, he shot just 20% from beyond the arc in 35 total attempts. Despite playing over 27 minutes per game on average, he scored just 8.1 points per game. Further, he made just 53.2% of his free throw attempts, a concerningly low mark. These offensive concerns led the 20-year-old wing to slip to the Phoenix Suns with the 28th overall pick. Dunn's defense was widely expected to translate to the NBA, but there were serious doubts about whether he’d be effective enough offensively to stay on the court. After all, he was a negative offensive player on the college floor.

But in his limited preseason play so far, Dunn appears to have vastly improved as a shooter. In four preseason appearances, not only has he made his mark defensively, but he’s also already made 12 threes, which matches his total mark across two collegiate seasons. These 12 makes have come off of 27 attempts, translating to an impressive 44.4% mark. These aren’t just open looks off-the-catch, either, he’s pulling tries over contests and even off-the-bounce. His most impressive showing came on Sunday against the Denver Nuggets, in which he went 6-for-11 from three-point range. 

Given his defensive excellence and newfound offensive competency, Dunn has the makings of a valuable complementary wing in the NBA already. Especially alongside the likes of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, Dunn could quickly prove to be one of the biggest steals of the 2024 NBA Draft.

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