Baseball and brotherhood take center stage for Ryan Dunn during Suns’ off day

Ryan Dunn embraces the grind on and off the court while supporting his brother’s MLB journey.

Everyone needs a reset, a moment to step back from the grind, breathe, and just exist outside the game. For Phoenix Suns rookie Ryan Dunn, that meant taking in a rare cloud-filled afternoon at American Family Fields in Phoenix, where the Chicago White Sox were in Spring Training action. The reason? A little family support.

His older brother, Justin Dunn, is looking to carve out a role on the White Sox pitching staff, and with the Suns fresh off an emotionally charged comeback win over the Clippers on Tuesday night, it was the perfect opportunity for Ryan to be there.

The bond between the Dunn brothers runs deep, rooted in a shared love of competition and the grind that comes with chasing professional sports dreams. Justin, seven years Ryan’s senior, has been through the gauntlet. Originally drafted by the Dodgers in the 37th round of the 2013 MLB Draft, he bet on himself, opting to attend Boston College. That gamble paid off when he was selected 19th overall by the Mets in 2016, setting the stage for a Major League career that has taken him through Seattle, Cincinnati, and now, Chicago.

Ryan, just beginning his NBA career, surely sees the parallels. His path may have been different — his game unfolding on hardwood rather than the diamond — but the lessons remain the same. The persistence. The work. The understanding that nothing is guaranteed. And in an NBA season that has tested the Suns in ways they never expected, that perspective might be invaluable.

Ryan wasn’t alone in the stands, either. Kevin Durant, fresh off torching the Clippers for 19 fourth-quarter points, joined him for the afternoon. A sign, perhaps, of the chemistry the Suns are still working to build, a team learning to coexist, to find joy in the little moments outside the pressure cooker of expectations.

Meanwhile, Justin got his opportunity on the mound, and he made the most of it. He tossed two shutout innings in the White Sox’s 8-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers, allowing just one hit and one walk. It was another step forward in his bid to solidify a spot on Chicago’s staff.

Meanwhile, Ryan and the Suns shift their focus back to the road, where a clash with the defending champion Denver Nuggets awaits on Friday. The season moves on, the grind continues, but for at least one day, baseball and brotherhood took center stage.

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