NBA Newcomer Report: Ryan Dunn

NAME: Ryan Dunn

TEAM: Phoenix Suns

HEIGHT: 6-8

WEIGHT: 216

AGE: 23

WINGSPAN: 7-1

POSITION: F

Early into the 2024-2025 NBA season, Phoenix Suns rookie Ryan Dunn has received high

praise, especially for his defense ability. This accompanied by his bizarre shooting success that

contrasts greatly with what scouts expected from him out of college.

STRENGTHS:

● Defense: Through the first five games of the season, Ryan Dunn proved to be highly

effective in shot contesting, holding opponents to just 37% FG and 26.9% 3PT.

● Shooting: Ryan Dunn has showcased a surprising three-point shooting display, already

having made more three pointers during the first couple of weeks of the season than he

did his entire final college season at Virginia (34).

BODY/ATHLETICISM:

● Wingspan: It’s typical for the best defenders to have long wingspans, and Ryan Dunn

would not be an exception. Standing tall at 6-8, he has a wingspan that exceeds his height

by five inches, using it to effectively contest opponents and interrupt passing lanes.

● Height-Weight Ratio: Dunn arguably has what some may regard as the perfect

height-weight ratio: a forward in the 6’7”-6’8” range with a weight just outside the fitting

220-230 range. This build often can be found among the most versatile wing players with

much variation in their game. Considering his vitals and that he’s only a rookie, one can

be optimistic about his potential.

WEAKNESSES:

● Free Throw Shooting: Through Dunn’s first ten games of play, he shot 50% from the

charity stripe, leaving room for improvement. This number is to be taken with less than

just a grain of salt, as this number is stemming from just two attempts from the line, both

coming from the same game.

● Player Efficiency Rating: Not so much a weakness but more so an advanced statistic that

may pique interest, Dunn recorded a Player Efficiency Rating of 11.8 through his first

nine games. League average is generally 15, but as learned with players such as Bruce

Bowen and Trenton Hassell, it isn’t uncommon for defenders to record a below-average

PER.

SHOOTING:

● Three-Point Shooting: Through five games into the season, Ryan Dunn led all rookies,

averaging 2.2 3-pointers made. Through the first ten games of his career, he shot 39.5%

from three.

● True Shooting Percentage: Through the course of the first week or so of the season, Ryan

Dunn led all rookies with 67.1% TS% while averaging 9.4 PPG, reflecting his scoring

ability. Though these numbers stem from a microscale sample size, his TS% exceeds the

elite mark of 60.

DEFENSE/REBOUNDING:

● Rebounding: Through his first ten games, Dunn averaged 18.6 minutes of play, not

exactly playing time a sixth or seventh man in a rotation would receive. With this time,

he recorded 2.4 rebounds a game. Considering the context— playing time, [lack of]

professional experience, and primary use as a perimeter defender, this number isn’t

uncalled for, but can be expected to trend in the right direction as time goes on.

● Defense: Defense is exactly why Ryan Dunn was drafted. As mentioned prior, Dunn held

opponents to as low as just shy of 27% from three through the first five games of the

season, as well as 37% even from the field.