Phoenix Suns rookie Ryan Dunn replacement for Rising Stars on NBA All-Star weekend

Posted by author January 31, 2025 NBA

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SAN FRANCISCO – Phoenix Suns rookie Ryan Dunn will be back in San Francisco for NBA All-Star weekend after all.

Dunn was selected as an injury replacement for the Rising Stars tournament on Feb. 14 at Chase Center. He is replacing Philadelphia 76ers rookie Jared McCain, who had a season-ending knee surgery Dec. 17.

His initial reaction to the snub earlier this week was one of frustration.

“That was one of my goals in mind,” Dunn said after Wednesday’s morning shootaround, a day after the NBA announced the participants. “Kind of upset at first not making it, but those rookies … they’re balling out this year.”

However, Dunn was open to being an injury replacement.

“If it opens up, I’m grateful for it,” Dunn said. “If not, it’s what it is. I’m just focused on trying to get wins right now for this team and just trying to get better as a player. Obviously, I want to go to San Francisco and play, whatever happens, happens.”

Open sesame. Dunn will now compete in Rising Stars.

There are also three sophomore replacements in Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black, Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara and Detroit Pistons guard Ausar Thompson. They are replacing Dallas Mavericks big Dereck Lively II, Charlotte Hornets guard Brandon Miller and San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, who was named a West NBA All-Star reserve.

Miller has had season-ending wrist surgery while Lively II has a stress fracture in his right ankle that will be re-evaluated in a month. The Mavericks announced the injury Jan. 22.

Dunn will be part of a four-team, mini-tournament that consists of three games to determine a winner that will advance to compete in the Feb. 16 NBA All-Star Game mini-tournament.

The Rising Stars draft will be Feb. 4 in which three, seven-man teams will emerge out of 21 players with 10 being NBA rookies and 11 “sophomores,” or second-year players.

NBA assistants chose the 21 NBA players for Rising Stars. The fourth team consists of seven G League players.

Dunn is averaging 7.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in 41 games. Taking on the role of Phoenix’s defensive stopper, the late first-round pick out of Virginia has started 24 games as a rookie.

Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

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