Ryan Dunn Scouting Report
An elite defender, but can he contribute elsewhere?
Name: Ryan Dunn
Birth date: January 7, 2003
Height/Weight: 6’6/214
Wingspan/ standing reach: 7’1 ½/8’7
Hand size: 9 ¾
Position: Forward/undersized Center
Pre-Draft team: Virginia
Tools: Defense, athleticism
Background: Was a shooter in high school, but long frame took away from his ability to shoot as he grew. Brother Justin was a first round pick in the 2016 MLB Draft
Season stats: 8.1 PPG 7 RPG 0.8 APG 1.3 SPG 2.3 BPG 0.8 TOPG on 55/20/53
Pros:
Elite defensive upside with outstanding versatility
Great athlete that can finish above the rim
Crashes the glass well; takes relentless routes to win rebounds over boxouts
Great frame allows defensive versatility
Excellent cutter who can be a lob threat
Cons:
No jump shot consistency and lacks touch; doesn’t get repeated mechanics
Doesn’t look to attack from the perimeter
Lacks much of a handle or creation ability
Swing Skills:
Has to play as an undersized center offensively; can that work and will his defensive pros outweigh his offensive shortcomings?
Will his shot ever develop?
Summary:
Ryan Dunn is the top defender in this draft class, but where else can he contribute?
Offensively, Dunn is an unwilling 3 point shooter and profiles better as a full-time center on offense, playing near the dunker spot and cutting parallel to the baseline. With only one three point attempt per game, Dunn lacks confidence in his shot, and often misses badly. He will not need to shoot right away, but to stick in the NBA for more than a few years, the jumper must progress. As a 6’6 center on offense and a truly versatile defender, Dunn’s defense both near the rim and on the perimeter against drives are elite, but make him an awkward fit in today’s NBA. Dunn has outstanding footspeed and athleticism, imposing length, and great awareness that helps him win most defensive possessions.
The hope with Ryan Dunn is that he can put his offense together away from cutting, primarily to grow as a shooter the same way someone like Derrick Jones did (pre-draft comparison for reference). With a history of shooting the ball in high school, teams could be convinced they can be the ones to fix his shot. Like Jones, who has played for 5 teams in 8 years, it may take a while to not only find the right home, but also to be maximized and for his shot to come along. The 2023-24 season was Jones’ best shooting season at 34% from 3, and while that number is below league average, this was more than enough for him given his defensive abilities and off-ball movement towards the rim.
Dunn’s unwillingness to shoot or even attack from 3 the point line, preferring to be a handoff initiator, limits his offense so much that his best role is as an undersized 5 offensively at the dunker spot. With a thin margin for error due to the size he surrenders, Dunn’s versatile defense must be spot on, and finding lineups for this to work with is difficult. Ultimately, Dunn’s basketball makeup and continued success of Virginia alumni should give NBA teams confidence that he will work out in some capacity, potentially being a depth defender for several years.
Similar to: Derrick Jones Jr
Projected draft range: 23-45
Expected role: All-around defender
Unplayable if: Lack of shooting and overall offense/creation make it easy for defenses to defend with him on the floor, and if he cannot thrive at the dunker spot as a small center.
Exceeds expectations if: Any form of shooting comes around, and he uses his athleticism well to be a good offensive center.
Videos:
Versatile defensive possession
Shot chart:
