The Phoenix Suns – armed with the powerhouse trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal – were looking for playable newcomers during the 2024 NBA Draft. And it looks like they may have found a gem in forward Ryan Dunn.

Drafted at No. 28, Dunn made sense to many as a useful fullback – actually one of the best in the class – but nothing more.

Now the former Virginia Cavalier is proving he was potentially worth a much higher pick.

Throughout the preseason, and now into the regular season, Dunn has shown real three-point shooting, an essential non-factor for him at the college level. He made just seven 3-pointers in his final season at Virginia, and made more than that in just a handful of preseason games.

In Friday night’s loss to the Anthony Davis-led Lakers, Dunn added nine points off the bench, all of which came on triples. He shot 3-for-5 overall and from beyond the arc, adding three rebounds and one assist. Even considering his rougher start in the team’s opening game, his shooting has taken a marked leap.

There is little doubt that Dunn can help the team defensively. He averaged 3.6 shares per game in his senior year of college and projects to be a nightmare for many of the league’s top scorers.

But his defense will only take him as far as the offense allows. If he can find his opportunity, he will spend a lot of time on the field for the Suns.

Phoenix will take on Western Conference rival Dallas in the first back-to-back of the 2024-2025 regular season tonight at 8 p.m.

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