Virginia’s Ryan Dunn has declared for the NBA Draft.
“I had an amazing two years at UVA,” Dunn said in a statement (via ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. “I’m focused on the next step in my life now. I got really good feedback from the NBA and am ready for the next level. I am all in.”
Dunn entered the 2023-24 campaign as a potential lottery pick, though as Givony notes the 6-foot-8 forward’s game didn’t progress as many NBA scouts had hoped.
He played only 13 minutes per game as a freshman but entered his sophomore season projected as a potential lottery pick due to his defensive versatility and physical attributes — he has a 7-foot-2 wingspan and outstanding athletic ability.
Dunn’s outside shooting did not progress as much as some hoped this season — he hit just 7 of his 35 3-pointers and 53% of his free throw attempts, something he says he knows will be a major focal point moving forward during the pre-draft process.
Dunn is the No. 31 prospect on ESPN’s Big Board.
Projecting Where Zach Edey Lands
Zach Edey will likely hear his name called in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft, though the national title game against UConn didn’t do him any favors, as ESPN’s Jeremy Woo write.
Still, the UConn game served as a reminder that certain elements of the game will constantly test Edey’s mobility and ability to dictate flow of play on the interior, rather than react. How he holds up in that regard, particularly on defense, may be the ultimate determinant of his eventual NBA role.
Edey sits at No. 14 on ESPN’s Big Board.
More on the NBA Draft
Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report has Rob Dillingham going to the Wizards with the No. 2 overall pick in his latest mock draft and compares the Kentucky guard’s game to Darius Garland.
Even with that jumper-heavy diet and underwhelming finishing tools, he still shot 47.5 percent from the floor with a 59.5 true shooting percentage. Along with his mostly reliable shotmaking on and off the ball, he offers the most convincing creation ability in the class with his ball-handling skill and shiftiness. He even surprised with how well he leveraged his elusiveness and gravity for playmaking and finding teammates (29.7 assist percentage).
Defense is the biggest issue with Dillingham, and scouts remain concerned by how much his lack of size/physicality, effort and awareness will negate his offensive contributions. He’ll likely require a specific type of roster-building to ultimately hide his core weaknesses.
Another interesting spots in the mock draft is Mata Buzelis falling to No. 10 and being selected by the Hawks. Buzelis, who played for the G League Ignite this past season, has been previously projected to be a top-3 pick.
