Kris Dunn Voted Most Likely to Win Rookie of the Year by Peers
Kris Dunn is the latest addition to the up and coming Minnesota Timberwolves. It looks like his rookie peers think highly of him.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are trending upward. This year there are a lot of people expecting big things from this team in the upcoming season. It looks like Kris Dunn is also expected to do big things this year.
In the last two year’s the Minnesota Timberwolves have had the last two NBA Kia Rookie of the Year winners. Karl-Anthony Towns won last year, and Andrew Wiggins the year before.
Every year the NBA does a rookie survey at their rookie photo shoot. They ask the rookies a few different questions. Who will win Rookie of the Year? Who will have the best career? Which rookie is the steal of the draft? Which rookie is the most athletic? Who is the best shooter, defender, and playmaker? Who is the funniest? Lastly, who is your favorite NBA player?
Timberwolves rookie guard Kris Dunn was selected by his peers to be the rookie of the year winner. That would make the Timberwolves the first team to win the Rookie of the Year award three years in a row. Dunn took 29% of the votes. This shows the impression that Dunn has made on his rookie class counterparts.
When asked who will have the best career, Dunn came in second in another survey question. Lakers rookie Brandon Ingram received 26.7% of the votes, while Dunn garnered 16.7%.
Dunn also received votes in the steal of the draft, and best shooter survey. Although Dunn was selected fifth, most saw him as the third best prospect in the draft and the most NBA ready. Dunn receiving votes in the best shooter category is a surprise. His shooting was his downfall in the pre-draft process. Hopefully that bodes true.
When asked who the best defender in the draft is, Dunn lead with 23.5% of the votes. This is no surprise as Dunn is known for being a defensive stud. His length and instincts make him an amazing defender. This is the main reason head coach Tom Thibodeau was so enamored with Dunn.
Dunn also took home the most votes for the best playmaker, with 29.4%. At Providence, Dunn was an elite playmaker and was labeled the best pure point guard in the draft. Although he has been labeled as a pure point guard, he played well at the two guard spot in this year’s Summer League.
Dunn seems like a favorite in rookie circles. He also received the most votes for the funniest rookie with 15.2%. His personality and story are another reason for being so high on team’s draft boards. He might be funny around a photo shoot, but in game time you see another side of him.
Thirteen different players were named when asked who their favorite current player was. They did not specify who each player voted for. If I could guess who Kris Dunn voted for, it might be one of the two votes Kevin Garnett received. I would guess Bucks rookie Thon Maker made the other vote.
Kris Dunn finished at the top of almost every survey question, with votes on almost every question. His peers know the ability that he holds.
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If this draft pick works out, the Timberwolves will be set for a future as a contender in the West, if they already aren’t. Last year’s potential Rookie of the Year survey winner was Jahlil Okafor. In 2014, the potential Rookie of the Year vote went to Jabari Parker. In both years, the rookie class was wrong. Hopefully they are right this year.