Class of 2022 SF Barry Dunning is one of those special talents that does not come around very often.  Standing at 6’6, the Mobile, Alabama standout in a place where many will argue that it is not up for debate who the best player is in all of Alabama.  He has an unbelievable skill set, coupled with the desire to be the best player on the court every game that he plays.  He is just scratching the surface in terms of just how good he can be when it is all said and done.  

For his high school, McGill Toolen, he is their all-purpose guy on the floor.  He is the deadliest when has the ball in his hand in the open court.  His elite ball handling skills, along with ability to break down any defender, make him one of the most impossible wings to cover in all the country.  His silky-smooth jump shot has only gotten better over time.  He is now extremely comfortable pulling up from well beyond the three-point arc and making those shots with great consistency.  He is very crafty and scores the ball in bunches practically whenever he feels the needs to.  He does not force the issue and does most of his damage within the flow of the offense.  He is an unbelievable athlete who likes to finish at the rim with authority even if he faces contact.  Although he will need to add bulk to his frame, he hasn’t had a problem battling against bigger players in post-up situations or taking bigger players off the dribble from the perimeter.  He also is a particularly good free throw shooter.  He finds himself at the stripe quite often because of his aggressiveness and willingness to attack the basket in the half court.  

Defensively is where he probably has seen his most improvement.  He now has no problem taking on the opposing team’s best defender.  He moves his feet very well and he’s shown an ability to stay in front of guards that challenge him off the dribble.  He reads the passing lanes well and gets many of his steals and deflections by reading plays before they happen and setting up easy transition opportunities for his teammates.  He rebounds the ball well and has made strides in becoming a shot blocker because of his leaping abilities.  He is a true leader on the court even if his play sometimes is louder than what people hear come out his mouth.  Schools from all over the region have taken notice and have begun reaching out to see if they can land the prized recruit.  

This past spring and summer he was able to pick up scholarship offers from Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas, Memphis, and Georgia Tech.  Recently the schools that have gotten involved and offered scholarships are Louisiana, LSU, Ole Miss, and South Alabama.  One thing for certain is that list will only grow, and more schools will get involved as his game will steadily improve and his name will climb up in the rankings.