The NBA season is in full swing now and college basketball is just starting to get there but it is never too early to talk about the upcoming NBA Draft. When the 2016 NBA Draft is brought up the first name always mentioned is Ben Simmons as he is considered one of the best prospects since LeBron James but a guy that is flying a little bit under the radar is Kris Dunn of Providence. Dunn has gotten off to a great start to his junior season and has been drawing comparisons to Rajon Rondo.
Coming into the season many people considered Dunn one of the best players in the nation and that was proven by the fact that he was named to the preseason All-American first team. While Dunn was unanimously considered one of the great college basketball players, his prospects for the next level have not been quite as unanimous.
The projections for where he might be drafted are still all over the place as some say he might be a late first rounder and some say he is a clear lottery pick but the head coach of NJIT, whom the Friars beat on Monday night, thinks Dunn has a chance to be as good as, and maybe better than, Rondo.
"I'm speechless. I've seen a lot of players up close. He has Rajon Rondo talent. He can get a lot better offensively, which is crazy to say," said Jimmy Engles, according to SNY.tv.
Dunn had a ridiculous game on Monday against NJIT as he flirted with a quadruple-double. Dunn finished the game with 22 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and seven steals in Providence's win and that is the kind of effort he brings to the floor every night. Dunn has not shot the ball particularly well this year as he is 40 percent from the field and 29 percent from three, but he is the guy that does everything for the Friars and his averages through four games prove that (18.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 5.3 steals per game.)
Dunn has good size for an NBA point guard at 6 foot-4 and can do almost everything extremely well on the floor but his shooting is something that needs to improve. Dunn did shoot 47 percent from the field and 35 percent from three last season so he is capable of being better but that is definitely the area that is holding him back from being considered an elite NBA prospect. Dunn is 22 years old so his experience should help him out when the draft comes around but either way he seems like a lock to be drafted in the first round and if NBA talent evaluators see him as a Rondo with more offense then he might just be an early lottery pick.
