Kris Dunn could have been living the life of a NBA star this year. The Providence guard was projected as a surefire first-round pick in last year’s NBA Draft had he chose to leave the Friars for the world of first-class travel and fat wallets.
But there were three reasons why Dunn decided another year in Providence would be a good thing for him. “I came back for my education and because I wanted to try and develop more as a player because I only had one full year of college basketball, so I wanted to get some more experience under my belt,” Dunn said. “And I wanted to be a good role model for my two little sisters.”
So because Dunn chose to be a great big brother, the BIG EAST was forced to deal with him for another season and Sunday afternoon Villanova was the latest opponent to pay the price. Dunn carved up the Wildcats for 13 points, a career-best matching 14 assists, five rebounds and four steals as the No. 16 Friars were the first BIG EAST team to hand No. 4 Villanova a conference loss this season when they posted an 82-76 overtime victory at the Wells Fargo Center.
The Providence win ended Villanova’s 22-game winning streak vs. BIG EAST opponents as well as the Wildcats’ 32-game home winning streak.
So is Dunn glad he decided to stick around for another season? Well, what do you think?
“Oh definitely,” said Dunn, who is second in scoring in the BIG EAST with 17 points a game. “Right now we’re doing a good job of remaining focused and staying on pace to win our ultimate goal – the BIG EAST and hopefully a national championship.”
Dunn, who is the reigning co-Player of the Year in the BIG EAST as well as the preseason conference Player of the Year, is always a handful for opposing coaches to game plan for. But when speaking to other BIG EAST coaches about Dunn, it usually turns into a conversation of equal parts frustration and admiration.
“He’s got a unique combination of great size and great length to go with it and he’s got incredible vision,” Creighton head coach Greg McDermott said. “(Defending him) is not easy and he’s really improved his jump shot. I think he’s always a threat to get to the rim and in the past you could let him settle for jump shots and be OK with it. But I think he’s shooting those at a much better clip and he’s just got that ability to make everybody around him better.
McDermott knows of what he speaks as Dunn sank a game-winning bucket at the buzzer in Providence’s 50-48 win at Creighton on Jan. 12. But Creighton is not alone, not by a long shot. Dunn’s three-pointer with 1:11 to play vs. Butler also proved to be the game-winner in the Friars’ 71-68 victory over the Bulldogs on Jan. 19.
“He’s dynamic and a game-changer on both ends of the floor,” said Butler coach Chris Holtmann. “I don’t know if that there’s a more complete and dynamic player on both ends in college basketball than Kris. He can change the game with his ability to come up with steals and deflect passes and cover ground defensively. And obviously he’s a load to keep in front when he has the ball in his hands. He’s a special talent.”
Dunn is about to enter some rarified air in Providence basketball history as he sets to join the foursome of Vincent Council, Ernie DiGregorio, Billy Donovan and Carlton Screen as the only players in program history to log 1,000 points and 500 assists. Dunn currently has 978 points and 474 assists in 80 career games through Jan. 24.
“It would mean a lot to join them. That’s the reason I came to Providence. I knew they’d get the best out of me,” Dunn said. “There have been a lot of great players that have been through here and so much history, so to be able to do something like that in front of my family and friends means a lot. I just have to thank my teammates because they really helped me improve and get to this achievement.”
Dunn may also become a category of one in the Providence record books before all is said and done as he can become the first player in school history with 1,000 points, 500 assists, 400 rebounds and 200 steals. After Sunday’s victory over Villanova, Dunn now has 421 rebounds to go along with 179 steals. And he still has 11 regular-season games before the BIG EAST Tournament and the NCAA Tournament remaining this season.
“I’m trying to leave a legacy here and that would be an honor to do something like that,” said Dunn, a leading candidate for National Player of the Year. “But really I have to give credit to my teammates because without them none of this would happen. But it really would be an honor to do something like that.”
Dunn has enjoyed so much success that Providence’s athletic website has an entire section dedicated to their star guard. The site is called “Get It Dunn.” It gives you Dunn’s current statistics, a list of his basketball achievements, testimonials about him from around college basketball and a clock – broken down into days, hours, minutes and seconds – that tells you how long it will be until you can see Dunn in his next home game.
“The college is doing a real good job marketing-wise,” Dunn said. “I’m very thankful and I just want to thank Providence College for doing that.”
And how about his No. 3 Providence jersey? How is it selling at the on-line store?
“I have no idea,” Dunn said laughing. “But I do see a couple of people wearing them and that’s pretty cool. I’m just happy if I can be a role model for the kids.”
Providence assistant coach Andre LaFleur sees Dunn all the time, both on and off the court, and he knows how fortunate the Friars are to have him in the fold.
“The way he cares about his teammates and the way he goes about his everyday preparation. We call him ‘an everyday guy,’” LaFleur said. “From on the court to off the court he’s just a high-character, quality kid. He’s worked his butt off this year in all areas of his game but he also has the ability to make his teammates better by giving them confidence. He’s a special player, a rare physical talent.”
Under head coach Ed Cooley, Dunn has helped return Providence to the national college basketball conversation. With the victory over Villanova, the Friars have now beaten four Top 20 teams this season with wins over then-No. 11 Arizona and a pair of wins over Butler as well. They have a chance at a fifth such win Tuesday night when the Friars host No. 5 Xavier.
Yes, the Friars are simply getting it Dunn.
“I think every year Providence is progressing as a program,” Dunn said. “I think Coach Cooley and the coaching staff are doing a great job of getting a bunch of great kids that love to play the game and also love to play under him and that’s what it takes to go in the right direction. We’re just trying to keep it going.”
At 17-3 overall and 5-2 in the BIG EAST, there is a little over half a conference season remaining before the BIG EAST Tournament, plenty of time for Dunn and the Friars to make a run at ending Villanova’s two-year run as conference regular-season champions.
“To be honest I don’t think anyone knows who the best or dominant team is,” Dunn said. “Everybody has a chance because there are so many good teams in our league, so many great players. Everyone is very talented. The BIG EAST is just a fun league to play in.”
Unless, of course, you’re playing against Kris Dunn.