Kris Dunn can't be accused of following the herd.
Dunn, one of the nation's most highly-recruited point guards and MaxPreps.com's No. 26 rising senior nationally, gave a verbal commitment to Providence during an unofficial campus visit Wednesday. The Friars finished 14th in the 16-team Big East Conference last season.
Kris Dunn is returning to the school he led to a state title in March.
Photo by Paul Stockmann
"It was really all about Coach Cooley," Dunn said when reached by phone Wednesday about new Friar head coach Ed Cooley. "He's has a lot of faith in me and hopefully we can make a big run."
The 6-foot-2, 170-pound point man also reversed course on an earlier decision to attend prep school
Wilbraham & Monson Academy (Wilbraham, Mass.) – a member of the highly-competitive NEPSAC – and return to the public school he attended as a junior,
New London (Conn.). Dunn was expected to join club teammate, prized 6-10 center
Andre Drummond, at Wilbraham & Monson, as well as Boston Amateur Basketball Club sharpshooter
Jaylen Brantley.
"New London is where it all started for me," Dunn said. "After talking it over I felt it was really important to remain around family and friends."
Dunn led New London to a 27-0 record and Class L state title as a junior. He earned state player of the year honors from multiple media outlets, averaging over 26 points per game. According to Dunn, leaving a legacy at the school factored into his decision.
"I want to try for the two-peat. It was definitely something I thought about," Dunn said.
A testament to his all-around game, he developed a reputation as one of the nation's premier penetrators on the summer circuit with the Connecticut Basketball Club.
Providence won out for Dunn's services over defending national champion Connecticut. He is also an outstanding student, reporting a 3.7 grade point average in July and expressing interest in attending Harvard.
