Ryan Dunn, a college basketball player for the Virginia Cavaliers, comes from a family of sports enthusiasts. His parents, Edmund and Donna, must be proud of him and his sibling for making it to the top. Ryan has established himself as one of the biggest prodigies in basketball, whereas his brother Justin is striking out the best player in MLB.
His father and mother are employed in white-collar jobs, but the 21-year-old is changing the family dynamics with his brother. A 2024 NBA draft pick prospect, the 6 feet 8 inches tall player has taken college basketball by storm.
During his first season at Virginia, Dunn was an important reserve player who changed the games in his team’s favor. The Small forward/power forward was also named ACC All-Defensive Team in 2024.
His recent performance and relationship with Justin Dunn have attracted considerable attention from within and outside the country.
Key Takeaways:
- Ryan Dunn’s father, Edmund, is a former director of finance for New York City’s health department.
- The 21-year-old’s mother, Donna, is a recruiter and human resources specialist for a staffing company in New York.
- Dunn’s brother Justin is a professional baseball player who played for MLB teams like Seattle Mariners and Cincinnati Reds.
- Ryan plays for the Virginia Cavaliers as a small forward/power forward.
Ryan Dunn’s Parents Have White Collar Jobs: Father Worked In NY Health Department
Ryan Dunn was born to Edmund and Donna Dunn on January 7, 2003, in Brooksville, New York.
His dad previously worked as a grant administrator, and his mom is a recruiter for a health company. In addition to her professional employment, she is a reverend at the American Methodist Episcopal Church.
Ed, who started his career as an installation specialist at SDK Information System, retired in 2022 at the age of 46 from the post of director of finance for New York City’s health department.
According to his LinkedIn Profile, Edmund was the Director of Grant Administration at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene for over seven years.
Before his position at the New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, he was an associate director and senior management consultant at NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation for nearly 15 years.
Furthermore, he has worked as an operations manager at First Health and as the coordinating Manager at NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation.
On the other hand, Ryan’s mother, Donna, started her career as an associate director at NYC Health and Hospital Corporation and worked there for 14 years. After that, she worked as Assistant Director at the Peninsula Hospital for two years before joining as the HR recruiter at Cold Spring Hills, where she worked for 11 years.
The couple are originally from New York but have shifted from Newport to Brooksville.
Ryan’s mom is available on Instagram under the handle @donna.dunn.106. Likewise, Ed is active on Twitter (X) under the username @EdDunn7, where he boasts about being the Proud Dad of two amazing young men. He shared photos and videos of his son on this social media handle.
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Ryan Dunn’s Dad Turned Him Into The Basketball Sensation
Ed organized Ryan to work out with elite basketball trainers, first from his hometown and later from across the nation. Even though Ryan didn’t have much potential at the time, Ed determined that Ryan should spend a year boarding at Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson as a sophomore in high school.
Some years back, he did the same with his first son, Justin.
When Justin was twelve, Ed dropped him off to play baseball with young Dominican players on their home island of Long Island, New York. He encouraged him to compete in showcase tournaments against much older players.
Ed planned Ryan’s education from Oak Hill to Long Island Lutheran to the Perkiomen School to capitalize on his love and aptitude for basketball.
“The thing that my dad does is he finds our passion,” Justin remarked in an interview with the Richmond.
Justin claimed he and Ryan mocked their father for his King Richard Williams-like habits, thorough research, and somewhat overbearing guidance of their sporting careers.
Ryan recalls that it was the summer of 2021, and the COVID-19 pandemic had caused a significant shift in recruiting towards virtual platforms. Ryan and his father contacted Tony Bennett, Virginia’s basketball coach, via Zoom. When Bennett extended a scholarship offer to Dunn, Ed thought it was just another “Gambino moment.”
However, Ryan objected, informing Bennett and his father that he wanted to take his brother’s advice and listen to the pitches from other schools before making a decision.
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Ryan’s Mom, Donna, Is His Biggest Supporter
Ryan comes to his mother, Donna, when things become hard. The smallest and perhaps most significant thing that Ryan’s mother provides him with, in contrast to the large, controlling personalities of his father and brother, is a literal shoulder to weep on.
“Mom is like a teddy bear,” Ryan remarked. She’s the one I hug when I’m upset or depressed. First thing first, I give her a call if I need help with anything. She responds with motherly, softer responses. Everything will work out fine.”
Moreover, the mother of two is frequently seen at his games, and she ensures that she is the loudest fan in the stands.
Dunn’s Brother, Justin, Is An MLB Player
Ryan’s older brother Justin is a professional baseball player in the MLB.
Currently a free agent, he was once a player with the Cincinnati Reds and Seattle Mariners in Major League Baseball (MLB). Dunn was chosen in the first round of the 2016 MLB draft by the New York Mets as the 19th overall choice after playing collegiate baseball at Boston College.
Dunn was born and raised in Freeport, New York. In seventh grade, the baseball coach at The Gunnery, a boarding school in Washington, Connecticut, saw him playing at a showcase with the Boys Club of New York.
Justin moved away from his Long Island home when he was 13 to attend The Gunnery. After that, he started playing baseball at an amateur level, and the rest is history. He has always supported his little brother Ryan despite choosing a different sport.
Moreover, Ryan always looked up to his big bro for guidance and love.
Big Brother Looked After Ryan During His College Recruitment
When it came to his younger son’s recruitment, Ryan’s father claims that he was a little less involved than he was with his older son. Ryan was taking his older brother’s advice to hold off on enrolling in any school and instead wait and consider alternative programs.
Thus, when word got out that the scholarship was lost, Ed indicated that Ryan was disappointed and that, should the opportunity arise, Justin would volunteer to assist with covering the cost of education, as everyone was certain that Virginia was the best option.
Ryan saw several traits about Justin, including his work ethic. Like their parents, Justin constantly gave up things for others, especially his younger brother. When Justin came home from boarding school, he occasionally took Dunn to the gym starting at 10 p.m. and continued until as late as 1 a.m., he said, forfeiting his sleep.
Justin said, “I’m taking my brother to fulfill his dream, and I also get to spend time with him. I’m willing to make that sacrifice. Sacrifice is a big word in our family.”
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Bidhya Sagar Shrestha is an experienced content writer with a solid content creation and digital marketing background. His majors in entrepreneurship and marketing give him a deep understanding of business environments and marketing strategies.
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