Kris Dunn

PROJECTED DRAFT RANGE: Kris Dunn is firmly in the top 10 in the major rankings and could even be one of the first five names called on draft night. Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress currently pegs Dunn at No. 5, a notch ahead of the other highly rated point guard in the draft, Kentucky freshman Jamal Murray. ESPN.com’s Chad Ford isn’t quite as optimistic, ranking Dunn at No. 7, three slots below Murray on his Big Board.

RISE/FALL: Dunn was so productive in his last two college seasons, and that coupled with the fact that quality floor leaders are such valuable commodities makes it tough to see him dropping out of the top 10. He brings size, athleticism, wingspan, court vision and quickness to the table and his weaknesses are things he can work on with professional coaching. His 8-for-10 performance from beyond the arc during this year’s NCAA Tournament alleviated some concerns about his jumper, though front office executives and scouts will keep close tabs on how he looks from the NBA 3-point line. He’ll need to show a greater willingness to play through contact and finish his drives. He’ll also have to display an improved handle and do a better job of protecting the ball when tested by other point guards in predraft workouts.

FIT: Several lottery teams could be in the market for a point guard. Start with the Sixers, who need help everywhere and were disappointed when the Lakers took D’Angelo Russell ahead of them during last June’s draft. The Kings will need one if free agent Rajon Rondo bolts. A Dunn-Devin Booker backcourt pairing could be a juicy prospect for the Suns, while the Timberwolves could deal Ricky Rubio if they feel Dunn is a better long-term answer. The Bucks like what they’ve seen with their Giannis Antetokounmpo experiment at the point but they could go with a more conventional look and have Dunn share ballhandling responsibilities with the 6’11” Antetokounmpo. It’s also fair to wonder if the Magic have soured on Elfrid Payton, given that coach Scott Skiles has used Brandon Jennings as a starter in recent games. There are plenty of other teams who may covet Dunn — the Knicks, Nets and Rockets would love to upgrade that spot — but they would have to find a way to get into that area of the lottery to make it happen.

FINAL TAKE: Dunn has been a special player in college and his talents should translate very well to the pros. As a 22-year-old, he’ll be more mature than most point guard prodigies (Russell, Emmanuel Mudiay, Payton, etc.) in recent drafts and consequently more prepared to take over the most demanding position on the floor. Dunn made progress by staying in school an extra season, as he told Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com when he declared for the draft. “I felt like I improved my outside shot, even though it still needs work, cut down on my turnovers and became a better leader,” he said. Expect Dunn to start immediately for the team that drafts him.

(For Part One of Kris Dunn’s prospect profile, click here.)

OVERVIEW: Kris Dunn put Providence back on the national map over the past two seasons by emerging as one of the nation’s top point guards. His college career got off to a slow start, as he endured two shoulder surgeries in a span of 18 months. Once he was finally healthy during his redshirt sophomore season, he quickly established himself as a premier floor leader. He averaged 15.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and a 7.5 assists in his breakout year and followed that up with a 16.4/5.3/6.2 slash line in his junior year. The 6’4” Dunn finished his college career with a 29-point outburst against North Carolina in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

STRENGTHS: In a league that increasingly values quickness and ability to get to the rim, Dunn seems like a prototypical point guard. He should be an outstanding pick-and-roll initiator with his ability to blow past defenders as well as hit outside shots and create opportunities for himself and others. He should have a size and strength advantage over many of his peers that will make him difficult to guard in one-on-one matchups. As Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress points out, he has the ability to operate at different speeds, making him dangerous in half-court sets as well as in transition. He doesn’t shoot a lot of 3-pointers, but he makes an acceptable percentage, hitting at a 37.2% clip. Dunn can also be a major factor defensively. He has excellent length with a 6’8” wingspan and uses it to his advantage. The two-time Big East Player of the Year led the conference in steals each of the past two seasons. His quickness allows him to stay in front of his man, while his size gives him the ability to seamlessly switch defensive assignments between point and shooting guards.

WEAKNESSES: The two biggest knocks on Dunn, according to ESPN Insider Chad Ford, are his tendency to take questionable shots and his turnover rate. Dunn’s field-goal percentage fell from 47.4% as a sophomore to 44.8% this season, despite his improvement from long range. Givony notes that Dunn shows average touch around the rim when forced to finish over length and tends to avoid contact at all costs, perhaps because of his prior shoulder problems. That could become an even bigger issue at the NBA level, where he’ll encounter better closeouts and shot blockers. Dunn can also get careless with the ball. He improved somewhat over the past year, bringing his turnovers down from a whopping 4.2 per game to 3.5. That’s still a high number, as only three NBA point guards are currently averaging more than 3.5 per game and that same trio — Rajon Rondo, John Wall and Russell Westbrook — are also the only players averaging double-digit assists. As Givony describes it, Dunn can make some eye-catching moves with the ball, but he can also get very sloppy with his handle.

(For Part Two of Kris Dunn’s prospect profile, click here.)