Ryan Dunn talks Offseason, Looking to Year 2, and Summer League | Phoenix Suns Media Availability

Ryan Dunn talks Offseason, Looking to Year 2, and Summer League | Phoenix Suns Media Availability

Hello guys. Hey. Feels like I was back here six months ago. Is that you scoffing at this weekend? Yeah. He ain’t put on no 20 lbs. No, he did. He’s He’s been He’s been He looks different. But he’s But he’s really He’s really been working out this whole off season. So, I’m I’m very excited for his for his new future, too. It looks like you added, you know, you know, I put a little on, you know, I added a couple 10 12 pounds. not like him where he came in like 212, now he’s like 230. But um just been trying to eat more, be more in the gym. Um now it’s just getting my cardio up, getting gained shape, and just just learning and growing again. So I put on a little more pounds. I think I see it a little bit when I go step in the mirror in the morning now. I don’t feel like a twig no more. But yeah, the reason I ask is because you at the end of the season, I was like, “You want to do summer league?” You like, “Whatever they want me to do, I’m going.” So what are you looking to gain from this from this time around to summer? like Oslo said, first is is to win. Um, you want to come out and compete and play hard. That’s what we want to build this culture on. So, it’s a great way to start now in the summer league. And as for me, just just learning the game more, you know, seeing the game slow down. Um, whether it’s the ball in my hands or not, just learning how to have be be more aggressive, learning to fail. Um, I think that’s the biggest thing for me. And learning, you know, turn the ball over is okay. Just getting back on defense, not thinking about it too much, not having that pressure that I need to make the right play. just make the right play and hopefully make the right play. If not, just go back and try to make get it back. I know you showed the ability to knock down the three during the season. How much have you worked on that this? A whole lot and a little bit of everything. Like you said, first it was my body and and speed and now it’s just, you know, shooting obviously keep try to get that more consistent. U catch and shoot a little bit off the dribble. Um finishing at the rim, ball handling. Um now it’s just great way in live reps, getting live play, you know, trying to limit turnovers, making the right passes. a lot of it’s driving off the catch or you know maybe in the pick and roll with man and also just trying to make the right pass for them more in the backside. Last year you were seen as a defensive specialist coming in and you have to basically prove that you’re more than that as a shooter you know from three and Kobe he’s seen as a top three-point shooter but do you see that he’s trying to prove that he’s more than that in his practice? Yeah, he’s been playing hard from the jump. Um we all know that Kobe can shoot the clip off the ball anytime anytime he wants. So, um, that’s the biggest thing. You know, we’ve been talking about just, you know, finding other stuff, um, in the game and honing in on your on your strengths, but keep working on your your weaknesses, whether that’s defense or, you know, finishing at the rim or, you know, trying to attack somebody off the dribble. Um, continue to learn and continue to grow. But through these the last two practices, I’ve seen him grow a lot. What are you excited for with working with DC this summer? I’m excited. First first time coming in, he’s a very chill, laid-back guy. Um, just been talking to him. You know, he’s a little trash talk, which I like to start with. Um, so it’s been cool and you know, him as a coach, you know, giving us tips on the fly and learning learning from him and even coach. Um, I love that he’s been at the practices and giving us tips and tricks as well. How has those conversations been with coach getting to know another new? It’s been great. Um, like O said, we’ve been we’ve been coming here at night and he’s been in his room watching film and first day he got here, he called me, said, “Come in my office and we sat for 30 45 minutes and just talking about about the system that he wants to play.” Um, so it’s been cool and just off the court he’s just a very good guy, very laid-back, youthful, youthful, youthful coach. So I’m excited to learn from him and I excited to see what happens. How much does the cutting and the movement as part of what he wants to do offensively kind of lean into some of your strengths, your slashing ability and cutting ability? Yeah, I mean coming last year, I think we had a lot of that, you know, in the pick and roll, whether that’s me cutting through the baseline or someone driving and we get that 45 cut. So, it’s it can help. Um, just trying to, you know, remember it, you know, making sure I have kind of triggers so when someone’s driving, I know when to go and just being a student of the game and watching film through these practices. One of the things that he’s talked about, uh, defensively is pressuring the ball more. That’s that’s you 24/7. So, how you feel about that? That mentality of pressure the ball. It’s cool. The first practice when we did it, I felt gas. Like, my legs were heavy. I was like, “Oh, I haven’t done this in so long.” But um it feels good getting back out there today, you know, getting that pressure and not even just me. I’ll say Khalif Paddle and Boogie Ellis are just two dogs like like those two even pressuring me. I’m I’m bring the fall on there and they’re honing on me trying to turn me over and they turn me over a couple times and it’s just those two can get after anybody. So, it’s been great having those two and everybody, you know, Yuri as well coming in being aggressive. So, it’s cool. We know we’re trying to we’re trying to slow the game down for the for the offense and that’s a good job of just, you know, not even trying to limit turnovers, but make it make it not comfortable for the offense. I know you were so close with Kevin. What would it have been like for you? Yeah, that’s a brother to me, man. That’s not even a teammate no more. That’s that’s a guy I love and I appreciate. Um, you know, I was out with him in LA this summer, too, working out and was able to go to his house and chill with him. So, um, we built that relationship and, you know, I wish him the best at Houston. I’m excited to go compete against him. We talk some smack to him now, but um you know that’s someone I can always turn to and learn from. So I wish him the best as well. What was the biggest thing you learned from being his teammate? You got to go got to go hard every rep. You can never never take a take a day off or or a rep off. And just to see him work out and to see his confidence in himself. He believes in himself and you know he doesn’t listen to nobody what everyone says about him. So the biggest thing that he that I can take from him is just like continue to be in the gym, trust yourself and be confident who you are as a person. That idea of going hard all the time. I feel like it was something during the season. We talked about doing Oso a lot. The energy, the hustle. How much have you heard that? Like you were out there yesterday, Brian Greger. He’s talking about the kind of players kind of style that you guys want to play. Is that something? Yeah, he wants dogs. He wants he wants he wants dogs on this team. He doesn’t want people that’s going to, you know, shy from shy from a challenge or let people try to drag us under. So, and not even just him, man, um Josh Brostein, that whole front office. And now come bringing a coach out and bringing the guys that resemble that is going to be great. So, we’re going to have some fights in practice. Um, even summer league, maybe some training camps, but I’m excited for it. How do you see Kaman and Rashir kind of fitting into that what you guys are trying to establish? They’ve been great. They’re youthful. Um, Kaman, man, he’s he’s special at 18. Super special. I mean, him flying around, talking, being a lodgeful on the floor. Um, being able to guard and and switch and being so active is it’s great on the defensive end. And, you know, him shooting the three how he’s been shooting, it’s been great. um pick and pop and cornering threes. He’s so confident, looks good, and you know, he’s just being aggressive. So, I can only tell him to keep doing what he’s doing. Can you feel the difference with those extra 10 12 pounds in terms of like physicality and strength? Yeah, a little bit. Um I think once I get back in shape and I’m able to take a bump and, you know, see how it really feels, I think that’ll be good. But, um yeah, just just being aggressive using my using my strength and not trying to get off my line defensively or offensively. And I feel I feel laterally quick. I still feel like I can move my feet quickly. So, I think it’s been good. How has your, you know, kind of mindset as a player as a whole, defensively, offensively kind of, you know, evolved over just playing one year and what you’ve learned from, uh, you know, playing against guys that, you know, grow up looking at? Just slow down and trust yourself. Um, you’re going to make mistakes. Um, be aggressive, be confident in who you are. Don’t let people try to knock who you are as a person, and just overall just be just be who you are as a person. Be aggressive and know you as a player. Um, people are going to try to challenge you. Don’t don’t get in your head. Don’t don’t let nobody try to push you or punk you. Just trust yourself. And again, this is only year two for me, so I still got a lot more to learn, especially as a player. And having this leadership role with O and us to, you know, lead the team, but also have a little bit more of that on bowl activity more offensively and defensively can help us a lot. You were kind of in and out of, you know, the starting rotation last year just with, you know, injuries and different things going on with the team. Is that are you making a concerted effort to you know be in that starting fight a little bit more wherever you’re at? I’m just controlling what I can control, man. Um if that’s if that’s what coach wants to do, I’m I trust him. If that’s what he just want to pick on the bench or start, it’s it’s whatever. I can only control how I want to be as a person. So obviously I’m going try to come out and compete for that starting spot. But I’m not going to get down if I don’t make it. Um I’m just going to get back in the gym and do that same thing I did year one. Appreciate y’all.

Ryan Dunn speaks with the media following Phoenix Suns Summer League Practice on July 8th, 2025. Dunn talks about what he’s done this offseason in terms of preparation, looking ahead to year two in the NBA, and what he’s looking to get out of playing in Summer League coming up.

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