Brandon Dunson enters his second season as Associate Head Coach for the Pioneers in 2022-23.
2021-22 Season
Dunson helped start a new age of Pioneer basketball in his first season in 2021-22, getting the Pioneers to 11 wins, the first time since 2017-18 the program had reached double-digit victories.
DU also record seven Summit League wins, matching the total of the three previous seasons combined, highlighted by picking up four road wins in year one with DU, matching the total of the previous four years combined.
Working with Head Coach Jeff Wulbrun, Dunson helped revitalize an offense that had been stagnant for several seasons, resulting in the highest scoring output (70.5) since 2017-18, highlighted by the team having the highest field goal percentage (46.0), made 3s (232), three-point percentage (36.8) and assists (397) in years for the program. Denver also dialed it up in league play, averaging 74.4 points per game, its best scoring output in league play since 2016-17.
The first-year associate head coach was instrumental in the recruiting process, leading to the Pioneers signing nine new players in the spring and summer of 2021.
Dunson helped deliver one of the best freshmen classes in Pioneer program history with the trio of Tevin Smith, Coban Porter and Touko Tainamo. Smith was the highest rated recruit to sign with the PIoneers out of high school in program history.
He was instrumental in the development of players throughout the season, starting with KJ Hunt. Hunt posted career highs in points per game (15.1), rebounds (4.4), assists (3.4), field goal percentage (43.0), free throw percentage (78.8), 3s made (27), total assists (103) and total steals (33) after transferring in from Morehead State earlier in the summer. Hunt was selected to the Summit League All-Newcomer Team along with earning honorable mention All-Summit League honors.
The freshmen trio of Smith, Porter and Tainamo made a major impact in year one with each have huge moments throughout the season. Smith, DU’s highest rated recruit to sign coming out high school ever, showcased his athletic abilities, getting 33 blocks on the season, the most by a Pioneer since Chris Udofia in 2013-14. Smith also made history, becoming the only player in college basketball this season to score at least 23 points and grab 10 rebounds while not missing a shot (7-7 FG, 8-8 FT) in a 63-53 win at Kansas City.
Smith also became the first Denver freshman to ever win Summit League Player of the Week award back on Jan. 24. He was the first true freshman to win the award in the league since South Dakota State's David Jenkins did back on Jan. 22, 2018.
Porter came in and provided elite-level shooting to the program immediately. The sharpshooting guard was just one of four players in all the NCAA freshmen class to make at least 70 3s on the year while shooting at least 41.3 percent as of Mar. 5. The Columbia, Mo. native led the Summit League in 3-point percentage for the season at 41.3 percent.
Porter’s 71 3s made rank tied for eighth out of all freshmen in the NCAA and set a new freshman record for DU in its DI era (1998-pres.). The freshmen also provided a scoring option off the bench with his 11.4 points per game average being the highest by a DU freshman since Joe Rosga’s 12.7 in 2015-16.
Tainamo brought efficient post play not seen by the Pioneers in a while. The Helsinki, Finland native was the first Denver freshman to record at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in a game on Dec. 20 against Western Illinois since Chris Udofia did it back on Jan. 15, 2011.
Tainamo recorded his second double-double of the season against Kansas City on Jan. 27, finishing with 15 points and 15 rebounds, first player since Daniel Amigo (24 points, 16 rebounds) to get at least 15 points and 15 rebounds in a game back on Nov. 25, 2017. His three double-doubles are the most by a Pioneer since Ade Murkey (4) in 2019-20 and most by a DU freshman since Royce O’Neale back in 2011-12.
Previous Coaching History
Dunson joins the Pioneers after spending two seasons as a member of the Cal State Fullerton coaching staff.
In his first year with at Cal State Fullerton, Dunson and the 2019-20 Titans had their season cut short just prior to the start of the Big West Tournament due to COVID-19. Dunson helped Jackson Rowe and Brandon Kamga claim Second-Team All-Big West honors while Kamga was also named Big West Newcomer of the Year.
2019-20 Graduating seniors Rowe (France), Davon Clare (Portugal) and Austen Awosika (Austria) each signed professional contracts to play in their respective country's top leagues.
In the fall of 2019 he was named to the 2019 NABC Under Armor 30 Under 30, recognizing the top 30 coaches in the country under the age of 30.
Dunson joined the Titans after spending the 2018-19 season in the same role at Nevada. The Wolf Pack were ranked as high as #5 nationally in the Associate Press polls, won the Mountain West Championship and tied a school record by winning 29 games.
During his time at Nevada, Dunson helped Caroline and Caleb Martin earn first-team all-conference honors while Cody Martin was named to the third team. Jazz Johnson was chosen as the the Sixth Man of the Year. Caroline and both Martins were selected to the defensive team. Prior to the season the Martin twins and Caroline were named to the 2018-19 MW media preseason team.
Caroline and Caleb Martin were also named to the United States Basketball Writers Association District VIII team today for the second year in a row. Caleb Martin was named the District VIII Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.
Cody Martin went on to be drafted No. 36 by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2019 NBA Draft. Also, Caleb Martin signed with the Charlotte Hornets, Jordan Caroline signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, and Tre’Shawn Thurman signed with the Detroit Pistons. In addition, Jalen Harris – who redshirted with the Wolf Pack during the 2018-19 season – went on to be drafted No. 59 by the Toronto Raptors in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Dunson spent the previous two seasons at the Director of Basketball Development at Stanford, including individual work with KZ Okpala who was drafted No. 32 to the Miami Heat in the 2019 NBA Draft.
At Stanford, he was responsible for assisting in implementing recruiting strategies and opponent scouting. Additionally, he oversaw the programs video services. He helped the Cardinal place third in the Pac-12 and reach the NIT.
Before Stanford, Dunson spent three seasons as the associate head coach at Arizona Christian University. At ACU, he handled recruiting, scouting and prospect development. When there, the team set the school record for wins in a season (25) and reached 3 NAIA National Tournaments including two Sweet 16s.
Dunson also worked as a professional basketball consultant and served as the Associate Program Director for the Team Illinois Education & Athletics Program.
A Bloomington, Ill. Native, Dunson played collegiately at Wabash Valley College, Arizona State and Azusa Pacific. After college, he played professionally in Mexico’s Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional.
