UNC Basketball: D’Marco Dunn stands out at weekend tournament

4-star UNC basketball target shines at Big Shots tournament in Myrtle Beach

Thanks to a balanced offensive attack, tremendous shooting ability and uncanny consistency, Westover High’s D’Marco Dunn has risen up recruiting boards over the past few months. Once a little-known, seldom-talked-about prospect from Tucson, Arizona — who has since moved to Fayetteville, North Carolina — Dunn is finally getting the kind of attention that his skill and athleticism on the basketball court warrant.

Now, with nearly 20 scholarship offers in hand from some of the nation’s top hoops programs, Dunn continues to shine on the hardwood. Paul Biancardi, national recruiting director for ESPN, was on hand for Dunn’s recent performances at the Big Shots tournament in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where he averaged 13 points per game, and scored 17 in the final game of the weekend. Biancardi was impressed, to say the least, comparing the senior Dunn to a rising star with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

For those who haven’t been paying attention to Gilgeous-Alexander since he left the University of Kentucky for the NBA, he’s averaging better than 19 points, six rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while shooting nearly 35 percent from three-point range. To say that the comparison is a favorable one would be an understatement, but Dunn has that kind of trajectory. And if it hadn’t been for the Covid-19 pandemic that shut sports down for the better part of six months, he’d probably be ranked higher across all recruiting outlets than he already is.

The 6-foot-4, 180-pound Dunn is currently being recruited by the likes of Arizona, Houston, Marquette, Maryland, Texas and others, and the offers will continue to pour in as coaches and scouts are able to watch him play more over the coming months.

It’s Dunn’s smooth, high release that helps him knock down a good percentage of his shots from long-range. He’s improving as a ball handler, and can hit shots from the mid-range, too. He’s got speed in the open court, and runs the floor well on the fast break. He’ll also drive the lane, and finish strong in the paint when the opportunity presents itself.

Dunn is up to No. 69 in the most recent iteration of the 247Sports Composite. He is No. 15 among shooting guards, and second in the state of North Carolina. The Top247 ranks him slightly higher at No. 61 overall, and 12th among players at his position.

Stick with Keeping It Heel for all the latest on the D’Marco Dunn recruitment, and everything UNC basketball.