Although he has struggled during the preseason, the work ethic of Kris Dunn and his versatility as a player will help him rise among the rookies in the NBA.
When the Kris Dunn was the fifth overall draft pick selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves, the team’s prospected successful season was cemented. That young core of the team, which includes two of the past Rookies of the Year, became even more powerful with Kris Dunn being added to the team. In fact, the Timberwolves could be the first team to win the Rookie of the Year Award three years in a row.
It would not be the first time that Dunn won consecutive awards. At Providence, he was named Big East Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year for two seasons in a row. Dunn averaged 15.6 points, 7.5 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game during his junior year. He averaged 16.4 points and 6.2 assists per game in his senior year. There weren’t any doubts that he would be first round draft pick.
But before Dunn stunned crowds and became a college phenom, he had his share of hardships during his childhood. Growing up, Dunn and his brother were forced to fend for themselves. After Dunn’s mother, Pia Dunn, went missing for a couple of days, the brothers were informed that their mom had been arrested.
This left Dunn, who was nine at the time, and his older brother, who was 14, to take care of themselves. In an interview with ESPN’s Marc Spears, Dunn mentioned that he and his brother did not want to tell anyone that they were living on their own because of the fear that they would be separated from each other.
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Dunn’s parents split up prior to his mother getting arrested, so his father was basically unaware of the entire situation. Eventually, Dunn’s father, John Seldon, was able to get in contact with one of Dunn’s coaches who told him of the boys’ situation. Seldon was able to get custody of his sons and bring them to Connecticut.
Dunn’s journey to the NBA warrants his hard work to climb to the top. In fact, others have noted his impressive work ethic. He was voted as most likely to be Rookie of the Year this season by his fellow rookies in a poll conducted by NBA.com. His new teammates notice his talent as well. According to The Bulletin, Brandon Rush said of Dunn, “He’s tough, he’s talented and he’s a hard worker….I really look up to Kris and what he’s doing right now as a rookie.”
Those praises of Dunn’s abilities are not far-fetched at all. Dunn’s athleticism as a point guard is a strong fit for the Timberwolves. In his Summer League debut, Dunn scored an impressive 27 points and was 10-for-18 in shooting.
Although his Summer League stint was cut short to due to a concussion he suffered, the two games that he played were a good glimpse of his skill set. Dunn, who is better at scoring in the paint, is capable of hitting from anywhere on the court. His range is impressive for a rookie.
However, his defensive skills are even more impressive. During his Summer League debut, he also had five rebounds and three steals. Thus, the guard can easily contribute on both ends of the floor. His ball-handling skills were even shown in a nasty crossover of the Nuggets’ JaKarr Sampson.
Dunn has hit some obstacles during the preseason. He’s 5-for-27 (just 18.5 percent) in field goals throughout the Timberwolves’ three preseason games. In a 105-81 win against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, Dunn only scored two points and was 1-for-7. His offensive performance is not living up to expectations so far. He did pick up three steals in that game, which is a good measure of his defensive game.
Thus, those questions surrounding Dunn and Ricky Rubio are not fully answered just yet. Dunn will need to prove himself as the one to take Rubio’s postion as the starting guard. For now, Dunn’s defense should at least give him more minutes as the top backup point guard.
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If there is anybody who knows how to be resilient when facing downfalls, it would be Kris Dunn. His journey to the NBA proves it. There is no doubt that he will improve on his early struggles throughout the season. Dunn’s hard work, along with his skill set on both ends of the floor, makes him the best candidate to win Rookie of the Year.