Kris Dunn

BIOGRAPHY

Kristofer Michael Dunn was born on March 18, 1994. He is an American who has made his name professionally as a basketball player for the Utah Jazz within the National Basketball Association (NBA). In this career, he has shown remarkable dexterity, talent, and resilience, consistently distinguishing himself on and off the court.

In his early years, he showcased an undeniable potential for greatness in basketball while attending New London High School in New London, Connecticut; where he rose to become one of the most impressive point guards in high school basketball. His junior year in 2010-2011, Dunn scored an average of 26.5 points, made 10 rebounds, 5 steals and 5 assists per game. This stellar performance propelled the Whalers to a 27-0 record and a victory in the Connecticut Class L State Championship against Northwest Catholic High School.

The following year, as a Senior, he scored his 2,000th career point. He led New London High School to the semifinal round of the 2012 Connecticut Class LL State Championships, where they were unfortunately defeated by St. Josephs High School. Despite this defeat, Dunn’s talent did not go unrecognized. He ranked 24th among all high school players nationwide and was ranked number one in Connecticut.

The future NBA player announced his decision to attend Providence College in August 2011. However, his journey to stardom was not without its challenges. In June 2012, he suffered a labrum tear, forcing him to undergo immediate shoulder surgery. He made his much-anticipated freshman debut in late December. Throughout that season, he played 25 games and averaged 5.7 points per game.

In December 2013, Dunn faced another health setback as he had to undergo another shoulder surgery. This unfortunate occurrence caused him to miss the rest of his sophomore season after only four games. However, in the wake of these challenges, Dunn showed great resilience and determination.

Returning from his injury in the 2014-2015 season, Dunn earned the prestigious titles of the Big East Player of the Year and the Defensive Player of the Year. That season, he brought his game average up to 15.6 points, led the Big East in assists per game and steals per game. Dunn also chose to return for the 2015-2016 season to graduate. As expected, he received many preseason accolades, including the preseason POY.

In early 2016, Dunn was named Big East Player of the Week. In February 2016, his name appeared in the list of 10 finalists for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award. He also made the 35-man midseason watchlist for the Naismith Trophy. After his impressive redshirt junior season, Dunn declared his intentions to pass up his final season of eligibility and enter into the 2016 NBA draft.

After graduating from Providence and receiving his college degree at the end of the season, speculation grew about Dunn’s future in the NBA. ESPN listed him as the number two point guard and predicted that he would be within the top-ten pick in the draft. Indeed, these predictions materialized in June 2016 when the Minnesota Timberwolves selected Dunn with the fifth overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft.

Dunn made his powerful presence felt in the NBA in July 2016 when he signed his rookie-scale contract with the Timberwolves. He joined the team for the 2016 NBA Summer League, scoring a team-high 27 points in his debut. Sadly, he managed only two Summer League games before a concussion sidelined him for the rest of the tournament. Nevertheless, he made a full recovery and made his regular season debut in October 2016, scoring eight points off the bench.

In the following years, Dunn underwent a series of moves and transfers within the NBA, suffering unfortunate setbacks due to injuries along the way. In June 2017, he moved from the Timberwolves to the Chicago Bulls. However, his debut with the Bulls was delayed after he suffered a left index finger dislocation. In spite of this, he triumphed to record some of his career-best performances, including scoring a career-high 32 points in a match against Dallas Mavericks.

Dunn’s career continued with a brief stint with the Atlanta Hawks in November 2020. However, he was not able to play much due to injuries that required surgery. After some time with the Boston Celtics, Memphis Grizzlies, and Agua Caliente Clippers, he moved to the Portland Trail Blazers in March 2022. His time at Capital City Go-Go was also notable before he signed a 10-day contract with the Utah Jazz in February 2023. His excellent performances warranted a second 10-day contract with the Jazz before finally signing a multi-year contract with them.

Off the court, Kristofer Dunn had a significant moment on October 18, 2018, when he became a father for the first time. His girlfriend gave birth to their son, marking a new chapter in his personal life. Even as he continues to impress on the court, his legacy is bound to live on in his son. Truly, for Kristofer Dunn, basketball is not just a game; it’s a lifelong passion.