Bryant Dunston

Bryant Kevin Dunston Jr. (born May 28, 1986) is an American-born naturalized Armenian professional basketball player who plays at the center position for Anadolu Efes of the Turkish Basketball Super League (BSL) and the EuroLeague. He also represents the senior Armenian national team internationally. Standing at a height of 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m), he won the EuroLeague Best Defender award twice, and reached the EuroLeague Final in 2015, while playing with Olympiacos. Dunston earned an All-EuroLeague Second Team selection in 2017.

Bryant Dunston
Dunston with Anadolu Efes in December 2017.
No. 42 – Anadolu Efes
PositionCenter
LeagueTurkish Super League
EuroLeague
Personal information
Born (1986-05-28) May 28, 1986
Queens, New York
NationalityAmerican / Armenian
Listed height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight252 lb (114 kg)
Career information
High schoolSt. John's Preparatory School
(Queens, New York)
CollegeFordham (2004–2008)
NBA draft2008 / Undrafted
Playing career2008–present
Number5, 6, 12, 42
Career history
2008–2010Mobis Phoebus
2010–2011Aris
2011Bnei Herzliya
2011–2012Hapoel Holon
2012–2013Varese
2013–2015Olympiacos
2015–presentAnadolu Efes
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  Armenia
European Championship for Small Countries
2016 Moldova

Early life

Dunston was born in southern Kentucky, and grew up in LeFrak City, Queens. He is a graduate of St. John's Preparatory High School. He is the nephew of former professional baseball player Shawon Dunston, a former No. 1 pick in the MLB.[1]

College career

Dunston attended Fordham University, where he played college basketball with the Fordham Rams. He finished his collegiate career by being named to the First Team All-Metropolitan, Second Team All-Atlantic 10 Conference, and Atlantic 10 Conference All-Defensive Team.[2]

In his college career, Dunston appeared in all 120 of Fordham's games, starting in 118 of them. He finished his college career in second place on Fordham's all-time scoring list, with 1,832 career points, in third place on Fordham's all-time rebounds list, with 993 career rebounds, and as Fordham's career blocked shots leader, graduating with 294 career rejections.

Professional career

Dunston played with Mobis Phoebus in the Korean Basketball League. In 2010, he signed with the Greek League club Aris,[3][4] but left the team in February 2011.[5] After leaving Aris, he signed with the Israeli League club Bnei HaSharon.[6] Following the 2010-11 season, Dunston joined the Israeli League club Hapoel Holon.

Reports said that Dunston was on the verge of signing a guaranteed contract with the NBA's Brooklyn Nets in the summer 2012.[7] However, he joined the Italian League club Pallacanestro Varese instead.

Olympiacos

On July 9, 2013, Dunston signed a two-year contract with Olympiacos.[8] In his first EuroLeague season, he averaged 10.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals and league-leading 1.3 blocks over 29 games played. Olympiacos however finished the participation in the EuroLeague by losing 2–3 to Real Madrid in the quarter-final series. On May 6, he was voted the EuroLeague Best Defender of the season.[9]

On May 6, 2015, he was named the EuroLeague season's Best Defender for the second season in a row.[10]

Anadolu Efes

On June 23, 2015, Dunston signed a two-year contract with the Turkish club Anadolu Efes.[11] On May 18, 2017, he signed a two-year contract extension with Anadolu Efes.[12]

On May 23, 2019, Dunston signed another two-year contract extension with the club.[13] He signed a two-year extension on July 26, 2020, with an option for another year.[14]

National team career

On June 16, 2015, he was included on the list of candidates of the senior Slovenian national basketball team for the EuroBasket 2015, by team selector Jure Zdovc.[15] However, he didn't get a Slovenian passport in time, so he wouldn't represent Slovenia at the EuroBasket.[16]

In June 2016, Dunston arrived in Yerevan, to represent the senior Armenian national basketball team in the 2016 FIBA European Championship for Small Countries.[17]

Career statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  PIR  Performance Index Rating
 Bold  Career high

Note: The EuroLeague is not the only competition in which the player participated for the team during the season. He also played in domestic competition, and regional competition if applicable.

Led the league

EuroLeague
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG PIR
2013–14 Olympiacos 292124.7.670.000.5665.31.01.11.310.315.0
2014–15 292519.4.543.000.6184.4.6.81.17.19.0
2015–16 Anadolu Efes 241521.0.604.000.6555.0.8.51.17.911.5
2016–17 353428.9.551.000.6796.21.1.61.110.714.6
2017–18 302828.0.645.333.6975.41.3.71.710.215.5
2018–19 363226.1.640.333.7014.91.3.81.28.913.5
Career 18315525.0.608.250.6655.21.1.81.39.313.3

Awards and accomplishments

College
  • Atlantic 10 Conference Rookie of the Year: (2005)[2]
  • Second Team All-Atlantic 10 Conference: (2005)
  • First Team All-Atlantic 10 Conference: (2006)
  • Second Team All-Atlantic 10 Conference: (2007)
  • First Team All-Metropolitan: (2008)
  • Second Team All-Atlantic 10 Conference: (2008)
  • Atlantic 10 Conference All Defensive Team: (2008)

Professional

References
  1. Fordhamsports.com Bryant Dunston Ram Profile. Archived July 22, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  2. "Bryant Dunston and Marcus Stout Named All-Metropolitan". Fordhamsports.cstv.com. April 18, 2008. Archived from the original on October 8, 2008. Retrieved December 16, 2011.
  3. EurocupBasketball.com Aris BSA 2003 lands Bryant Dunston.
  4. Published por Alberto de Roa (July 27, 2010). "Aris Thessaloniki signs Bryant Dunston". Thehoopsmarket.blogspot.com. Retrieved December 16, 2011.
  5. Λύση συνεργασίας με τον Μπράιαντ Ντάνστον Archived 2011-07-21 at the Wayback Machine (in Greek)
  6. משרון דרוקר לדן שמיר: דנסטון חתם בבני השרון (in Hebrew)
  7. Netsdaily.com Nets Signing Bryant Dunston?
  8. "OLYMPIACOS adds big man Dunston". euroleague.net. 9 July 2013. Archived from the original on May 8, 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
  9. "Coaches vote Bryant Dunston of Olympiacos this season's Best Defender". Euroleague.net. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  10. "2014-15 Best Defender Trophy winner: Bryant Dunston, Olympiacos Piraeus". euroleague.net. 6 May 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
  11. "Anadolu Efes Istanbul bulks up with Brown, Dunston". Euroleague.net. June 23, 2015. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  12. "Bryant Dunston re-signs with Anadolu Efes for two years". Sportando.com. May 18, 2017. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
  13. "Anadolu Efes keeps Dunston, too". euroleague.net. 23 May 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  14. "Efes, Bryant Dunston agree on new 2+1 deal". Sportando. July 26, 2020. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  15. Zbačnik, Gal (16 June 2015). "Reprezentanca najbrž brez Gorana Dragića, a z Dunstonom!". kosarka.si (in Slovenian). Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  16. "Bryant Dunston can not play the Eurobasket in Slovenia". mundodeportivo.com. 27 July 2015. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  17. "Bryant Dunston joins Armenian national basketball team". PanArmenian.net. 20 June 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
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