GLIAC Men's BasketballFeb 24, 2016 by Brett Pickert
Skills Breakdown - Providence's Kris Dunn
Skills Breakdown - Providence's Kris Dunn
Kris Dunn is Providence’s star point guard and an absolute physical specimen. He towers over his opponents, and his strong showing as a juni
By Dane Carbaugh
Kris Dunn is Providence’s star point guard and an absolute physical specimen. He towers over his opponents, and his strong showing as a junior has catapulted the Friars into the Top 25. He's an excellent scorer, an unselfish passer and one of the best players in college basketball when it comes to steals.
Although he's a lock to be a lottery pick in the 2016 NBA draft, Dunn still has some raw portions of his game. He often plays out of control, lacks a consistent shooting stroke, and has yet to prove he can expertly navigate a pick-and-roll at a top flight level. Why might some NBA teams be looking to polish this diamond in the rough come June?
Length
Dunn’s size is considerable for his position, standing at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds with a 6-foot-8 wingspan. For comparison, that would put him in the 90th percentile in both measurements compared to point guards drafted in 2015, according to Nylon Calculus (http://nyloncalculus.com/2015/06/26/average-nba-draft-measurements-by-position-for-2015/).
His length immediately apparent when he’s on the floor with other players, almost hilariously so, with Dunn towering over collegiate point guards. His long arms are often seen as a large reason why he is so good at getting into passing lanes for steals, where the Providence guard is third in the nation.
While not known for getting on-ball steals, Dunn loves to dig down into the post and clog up passing lanes as a complete pest for opposing attackers.
Offensively Dunn’s arms also lend him passing angles that would be impossible for smaller players. Not only can he get extra zip on passes, but he can find outlets where others can’t. It’s also helpful for small things, such as getting an entry pass around a sagging defender and to a waiting post player.
Watching Dunn, he doesn’t play any different than his size suggests. He takes long, loping strides and his long arms stick out when he's running up the floor.
Versatility
Dunn plays off-ball in a unique way. While some team teams may be looking at him as a ball-handling off-guard, Dunn is still a natural point guard at heart. At Providence he plays in a system which has him both bringing the ball up the court and running around screens, flashing to the paint, and receiving passes on the wing when he’s away from the ball.
In terms of what that means on offense, think of Dunn attacking off-ball situations in the mode of Derrick Rose rather than Eric Bledsoe. He attacks from the wing and doesn't use that many straight-on pick-and-rolls from the traditional point guard position.
This is a double-edged sword because it’s also the flip side of Dunn’s lack of polish when it comes to the pick and roll. While he often uses his length and strength in traditional pick plays, when he rounds the corner he can wind up out of control.
That being said, Dunn is also an excellent pure point guard. Despite the fact that he’s known a bit as a scorer, Dunn moves down the floor with his head up and appears to be dedicated to the system he’s in rather than enforcing his will on the defender across from him.
Indeed, Dunn is averaging 6.6 assists per-game and his unselfishness will serve him well when it comes time to rank him inside NBA draft war rooms. As a ball-handling slasher and passer is where he’s going to be the most successful in his first years in the NBA, and it’s possible he winds up on a team with an established young point guard as he figures it all out.
Defensive Potential
Dunn is an interesting prospect when it comes to his defense if only because his statistical strengths don't necessarily match what you see when you watch film. While it's true that Dunn is a prolific steal man, he isn't necessarily really a traditional lockdown defender.
Dunn as often caught standing flat-flat footed when it comes to action direct directly on the ball and defends using his arms and body instead of by moving his feet.
Where Dunn finds most of his takeaways are in the passing lanes and coming to help out his teammates.
While his on-ball instincts are still in need of some honing, Dunn does a does a good job knowing when to dig down and help on opposing penetrators and post-up players.
He has a good sense on when to turn his head and follow action away from him in order to jump for potential turnovers or even to help contest shots.
Defense is perhaps one of Dunn’s greatest strengths when it comes to athletic talent at the next level. It's also one of his largest weaknesses when we talk about areas that need mental development for an NBA team.
Deficiencies
While we’ve already discussed the nature of Dunn’s defense, it should also be mentioned that he’s also a bit of a gambler. If he is forced to tone down the amount of lanes he’s jumping it will be interested to see if he can keep up the steal rate in Summer League.
He’s also not a particularly good shooter. Dunn is under 45% from the from the field this season, shoots 36% from 3-point range, and although he has an impressive free-throw rate he is just a 68% shooter from the charity stripe.
None of those things project a particularly efficient offensive game in the NBA. He is going to need to at least improve his free-throw shooting and finishing around the rim in order to make sure he keeps himself on the floor.
That leads us to the other area in which Dunn needs some work: control.
Well, not a head down type of penetrator, Dunn's exceedingly long arms have him dribbling the ball low, but far away from his body.
His decision making, at times, can also be suspect, Opposing defenders, having scouted Dunn or having game planned to pinch him on penetration, can frustrate his efforts.
This is evidenced in his turnover totals, where he gives it up 3.7 times per-game.
Is there's also the issue of whether or not Dunn should even be taking jumpers at this juncture. He’s got a considerable amount of sway in his shot, and it appears to be hampering his lift rather than helping. With his gangly extremities, Dunn’s shot is likely in serious need of some compression before he can be reliable in the NBA.
Conclusion
Kris Dunn has slowly moved up NBA draft boards since the beginning of 2016. He's been on the radar for a long time, but after after a breakout junior season at Providence, Dunn is slated to be a Top 5 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
While still raw offensively, he shows the ability to make good decisions, act unselfishly, and use his superior athleticism to the best of his ability.
Dunn is an absolute physical specimen at the point guard position. It will be interesting to see how NBA teams rate him between the two guard spots. It's likely that he will be the effective as a second ball handler early in his career as he develops his shooting and decision-making as he tries to become a starting point guard in the NBA for years to come.
Kris Dunn is Providence’s star point guard and an absolute physical specimen. He towers over his opponents, and his strong showing as a junior has catapulted the Friars into the Top 25. He's an excellent scorer, an unselfish passer and one of the best players in college basketball when it comes to steals.
Although he's a lock to be a lottery pick in the 2016 NBA draft, Dunn still has some raw portions of his game. He often plays out of control, lacks a consistent shooting stroke, and has yet to prove he can expertly navigate a pick-and-roll at a top flight level. Why might some NBA teams be looking to polish this diamond in the rough come June?
Length
Dunn’s size is considerable for his position, standing at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds with a 6-foot-8 wingspan. For comparison, that would put him in the 90th percentile in both measurements compared to point guards drafted in 2015, according to Nylon Calculus (http://nyloncalculus.com/2015/06/26/average-nba-draft-measurements-by-position-for-2015/).
His length immediately apparent when he’s on the floor with other players, almost hilariously so, with Dunn towering over collegiate point guards. His long arms are often seen as a large reason why he is so good at getting into passing lanes for steals, where the Providence guard is third in the nation.
While not known for getting on-ball steals, Dunn loves to dig down into the post and clog up passing lanes as a complete pest for opposing attackers.
Offensively Dunn’s arms also lend him passing angles that would be impossible for smaller players. Not only can he get extra zip on passes, but he can find outlets where others can’t. It’s also helpful for small things, such as getting an entry pass around a sagging defender and to a waiting post player.
Watching Dunn, he doesn’t play any different than his size suggests. He takes long, loping strides and his long arms stick out when he's running up the floor.
Versatility
Dunn plays off-ball in a unique way. While some team teams may be looking at him as a ball-handling off-guard, Dunn is still a natural point guard at heart. At Providence he plays in a system which has him both bringing the ball up the court and running around screens, flashing to the paint, and receiving passes on the wing when he’s away from the ball.
In terms of what that means on offense, think of Dunn attacking off-ball situations in the mode of Derrick Rose rather than Eric Bledsoe. He attacks from the wing and doesn't use that many straight-on pick-and-rolls from the traditional point guard position.
This is a double-edged sword because it’s also the flip side of Dunn’s lack of polish when it comes to the pick and roll. While he often uses his length and strength in traditional pick plays, when he rounds the corner he can wind up out of control.
That being said, Dunn is also an excellent pure point guard. Despite the fact that he’s known a bit as a scorer, Dunn moves down the floor with his head up and appears to be dedicated to the system he’s in rather than enforcing his will on the defender across from him.
Indeed, Dunn is averaging 6.6 assists per-game and his unselfishness will serve him well when it comes time to rank him inside NBA draft war rooms. As a ball-handling slasher and passer is where he’s going to be the most successful in his first years in the NBA, and it’s possible he winds up on a team with an established young point guard as he figures it all out.
Defensive Potential
Dunn is an interesting prospect when it comes to his defense if only because his statistical strengths don't necessarily match what you see when you watch film. While it's true that Dunn is a prolific steal man, he isn't necessarily really a traditional lockdown defender.
Dunn as often caught standing flat-flat footed when it comes to action direct directly on the ball and defends using his arms and body instead of by moving his feet.
Where Dunn finds most of his takeaways are in the passing lanes and coming to help out his teammates.
While his on-ball instincts are still in need of some honing, Dunn does a does a good job knowing when to dig down and help on opposing penetrators and post-up players.
He has a good sense on when to turn his head and follow action away from him in order to jump for potential turnovers or even to help contest shots.
Defense is perhaps one of Dunn’s greatest strengths when it comes to athletic talent at the next level. It's also one of his largest weaknesses when we talk about areas that need mental development for an NBA team.
Deficiencies
While we’ve already discussed the nature of Dunn’s defense, it should also be mentioned that he’s also a bit of a gambler. If he is forced to tone down the amount of lanes he’s jumping it will be interested to see if he can keep up the steal rate in Summer League.
He’s also not a particularly good shooter. Dunn is under 45% from the from the field this season, shoots 36% from 3-point range, and although he has an impressive free-throw rate he is just a 68% shooter from the charity stripe.
None of those things project a particularly efficient offensive game in the NBA. He is going to need to at least improve his free-throw shooting and finishing around the rim in order to make sure he keeps himself on the floor.
That leads us to the other area in which Dunn needs some work: control.
Well, not a head down type of penetrator, Dunn's exceedingly long arms have him dribbling the ball low, but far away from his body.
His decision making, at times, can also be suspect, Opposing defenders, having scouted Dunn or having game planned to pinch him on penetration, can frustrate his efforts.
This is evidenced in his turnover totals, where he gives it up 3.7 times per-game.
Is there's also the issue of whether or not Dunn should even be taking jumpers at this juncture. He’s got a considerable amount of sway in his shot, and it appears to be hampering his lift rather than helping. With his gangly extremities, Dunn’s shot is likely in serious need of some compression before he can be reliable in the NBA.
Conclusion
Kris Dunn has slowly moved up NBA draft boards since the beginning of 2016. He's been on the radar for a long time, but after after a breakout junior season at Providence, Dunn is slated to be a Top 5 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
While still raw offensively, he shows the ability to make good decisions, act unselfishly, and use his superior athleticism to the best of his ability.
Dunn is an absolute physical specimen at the point guard position. It will be interesting to see how NBA teams rate him between the two guard spots. It's likely that he will be the effective as a second ball handler early in his career as he develops his shooting and decision-making as he tries to become a starting point guard in the NBA for years to come.