Chicago Bulls point guard Kris Dunn had a trying rookie year with the Minnesota Timberwolves last season. Dunn, who was the No. 5 overall pick, fell way short of expectations, particularly offensively, as he averaged a mere 3.8 points and 2.4 assists while shooting 38 percent from the floor.
Dunn opened up to NBA.com’s Sam Smith about his difficulties as a rookie, which were more mental than anything else.
“Imagine your family coming to watch you play and you’re always sitting on the bench,” Kris Dunn was saying about his jarring rookie season with the Minnesota Timberwolves last year. “That never happened to us before. It was hard. I was almost embarrassed. All my life, my family looked at me as the one, the star. I felt like I was letting everyone down. It was kind of embarrassing. There were times I couldn’t face them after games because I felt like I wasn’t the person they were used to seeing.”
Dunn was playing behind an established veteran and crowd favorite in Ricky Rubio, so it was completely understandable for him to not get as much playing time for most of the year. However, Dunn just seems to have a very high standard for himself, which was why he was so affected by sitting on the bench. That lack of confidence likely played a part in his poor performances when he did get to play.
Dunn is finally getting his chance to start for the Bulls this season, though, and he’s doing his best to make the most of that opportunity. Over his last eight games, he’s averaging 12 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.8 steals per game, which is a promising step in the right direction for him.
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