The last time the Lakers faced the Suns earlier this month, they had to settle for a four-point loss. JJ Redick didn’t want to repeat that outcome in Round 2 of their preseason battle against Phoenix. The LA side won the contest 128-122 in the overtime thriller at Footprint Center tonight.
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Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht had a game-high 35-point performance. However, Redick had his eyes on Phoenix Suns rookie Ryan Dunn in the pre-game scouting report.
Dunn, the 28th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, has impressed with his efficient three-point shooting in the preseason. Redick, a career sharpshooter himself, claimed in front of reporters, “Had I known that Ryan Dunn was a 45% shooter, I think our draft board would have looked a little different.”
Redick’s candid press conferences have been a breath of fresh air. The 40-year-old doesn’t mince his words and it makes his praise and criticism stand out against that of his peers.
However, it’s unclear how Lakers’ rookies Dalton Knecht and Bronny James feel about Redick’s regret over missing out on Dunn. But the head coach did elaborate on what makes the Suns’ rookie wing a standout in his eyes.
“I think the thing that stood out when you watch the film, and obviously I saw him in person from a very close proximity, he’s got a high level of confidence right now when shooting the basketball.”
“There’s zero thought. I mean, it’s just like, ‘Am I open? Yes. I’m shooting.’ And to see that progression happen in such a short amount of time, from where he was this past season at UVA, it’s impressive,” Redick said.
Lakers coach JJ Redick spoke on the Suns rookies, joking: “Had I know that Ryan Dunn was a 45% [3-point] shooter, I think our draft board would've looked a little bit different” pic.twitter.com/s3CMgbFQnd
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) October 18, 2024
The biggest reason Dunn was available at the end of the first round was, quite ironically, his spotty shooting. Dunn shot 52.5% from the free-throw line and 23.5% from deep during his two seasons at University of Virginia. The 6’8 wing was always considered one of the best defenders in the class, but his shooting splits didn’t inspire confidence in his ability to excel as a two-way player.
Impressive is certainly the right word for the leap Dunn seems to have taken during his preseason games.
Dunn is being dubbed as the steal of the 2024 draft
Across his two-season college career, Ryan Dunn converted 12 three-pointers. He’s already matched that mark in his 4 preseason appearances for the Phoenix Suns, in part thanks to the encouragement of his teammate, Kevin Durant.
The 21-year-old is averaging 11 points while knocking down 44.4% of his 6.8 three-point attempts per game. At the same time, he’s proven his defensive caliber – which was the main attraction of his game leading up to the NBA draft – by racking up 1.8 blocks per game and 1.3 steals per game.
His best preseason performance came against the Denver Nuggets, as he dropped 20 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks and 2 steals against the 2023 NBA champions. Dunn’s defensive versatility was on full display as he displayed the strength to match up with Aaron Gordon and the agility to slow down Russell Westbrook.
This is the skillset he was drafted into the NBA for. Dunn’s floor was always that of a Matisse Thybulle type player, maybe one-dimensional, but certainly effective in his role. However, nobody could have predicted how quickly the 21-year-old would improve on his jump shot.
It is just the preseason, but the signs of promise are all there for Ryan Dunn.
