NBA Draft Prospects 2016: Kris Dunn Breakdown
Defense
Because of what Kris Dunn is capable on the offensive end of the floor, it feels like his abilities as a defensive player sometimes get overlooked. However, that wholly shouldn’t be the case because the former Providence guard is one of the best backcourt defenders in this draft, especially when you put his production on that end of the floor in relation to the “potential” of other guards like a Buddy Hield or Jamal Murray.
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In his final two seasons in the Friars program, Dunn averaged 2.5 steals per game or better in each of them. While steals aren’t everything when it comes to defense in the NBA, they are a strong indicator of length, quickness, and instincts for an NBA Draft prospect when they are able to put up strong steals numbers at the college level. However, Dunn’s value is still calculable in more than just his ability to force turnovers.
For his final year with Providence, Dunn was obviously the most crucial part of the team. However, one of his biggest assets when he was on the floor was how positively he affected the defense. With him on the floor, the Friars gave up only 94.8 points per 100 possessions. Only one other player on the roster for Providence had a defensive rating below 97 and only three players (Dunn included) were below 99.5 points per 100 possessions.
Dunn can flat out use his unique blend of length and quickness in addition to his instincts and savvy as a player and leader to defend at a high level as he transitions to the NBA.
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