T. R. Dunn

T. R. Dunn
Personal information
Born (1955-02-01) February 1, 1955 (age 69)
Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight192 lb (87 kg)
Career information
High schoolWest End (Birmingham, Alabama)
CollegeAlabama (1973–1977)
NBA draft1977: 2nd round, 41st overall pick
Selected by the Portland Trail Blazers
Playing career1977–1991
PositionShooting guard / small forward
Number23, 25
Career history
As player:
19771980Portland Trail Blazers
19801988Denver Nuggets
1988–1989Phoenix Suns
19891991Denver Nuggets
As coach:
19911997Charlotte Hornets (assistant)
1997–1998Denver Nuggets (assistant)
1999Charlotte Sting (assistant)
2000Charlotte Sting
2001–2002Alabama (assistant)
20022004Denver Nuggets (assistant)
20042007Sacramento Kings (assistant)
20072011Houston Rockets (assistant)
20112014Minnesota Timberwolves (assistant)
20142016Houston Rockets (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
Career NBA statistics
Points5,033 (5.1 ppg)
Rebounds4,371 (4.4 rpg)
Steal1,316 (1.3 spg)
Stats at NBA.com Edit this at Wikidata
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata

Theodore Roosevelt Dunn (born February 1, 1955) is an American former professional basketball player who was most recently an assistant coach for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

A star at the University of Alabama, Dunn played for coach CM Newton, who would start five black players in a time of racial turbulence and progress. Center Leon Douglas said, "We knew Coach Newton (signed us) because he wanted to win. He wasn't trying to be a trailblazer. You have to respect a man for putting five black starters on the court when others said it was a no-no." On December 28, 1973, in a 65–55 win over the University of Louisville Cardinals, Newton started Douglas, Charles "Boonie" Russell, Charles Cleveland, Dunn and Ray Odums for the first all-black starting line-up in SEC history, and a team that would win the SEC season title.[1][2][3][4]

The 6'4" Dunn was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round of the 1977 NBA draft. He went on to have a productive 14-year career with three teams: the Blazers (1977–1980), the Denver Nuggets (1980–1988;1989–1991), and the Phoenix Suns (1988–1989). Dunn was named to the NBA's All-Defensive Second Team three times during his career, and he was widely regarded as one of the best rebounding guards of the 1980s.[5]

After retiring in 1991 with 5,033 career points and 4,371 career rebounds, Dunn served six seasons (1991–1997) as an assistant coach for the Charlotte Hornets. He later served brief tenures as head coach of the WNBA's Charlotte Sting and as an assistant coach at the University of Alabama, and in 2004 he was hired as an assistant coach for the NBA's Sacramento Kings. In 2007, he became an assistant coach for the Houston Rockets. On December 6, 2011, he was hired as an assistant coach by the Minnesota Timberwolves to work under Rick Adelman.[6]

  1. ^ "1973-74 Southeastern Conference Season Summary". Sports Reference. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  2. ^ "1973-1974 Men's Basketball Archive". University of Alabama. Archived from the original on April 2, 2022. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  3. ^ Pierce, Matthew (October 1, 2015). "The Story Of How The SEC's First All-Black Lineup Changed Hoops Forever". Uproxx. Archived from the original on March 18, 2022. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  4. ^ Scarbinsky, Kevin (October 16, 2013). "The University of Alabama basketball program made a stand of its own for civil rights". AL.com. Advance Publications, Inc. Archived from the original on March 18, 2022. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  5. ^ "Kings Hire T.R. Dunn As Assistant Coach". Sacramento Kings. June 30, 2004. Archived from the original on June 22, 2011. Retrieved April 2, 2002.
  6. ^ "Wolves Announce Basketball and Coaching Staffs". Minnesota Timberwolves. December 6, 2011. Archived from the original on January 9, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2022.