Marcus Paige, Providence's Kris Dunn reap rewards of staying in college

RALEIGH — Out of a mutual respect forged on the AAU circuit and in multiple camps, Marcus Paige and Providence’s Kris Dunn have watched each other from afar over the past four years.

They’ve kept tabs on each other. They’ve seen each other succeed. And when each player faced the decision of either continuing their collegiate career or taking their talents to the NBA, they made the same choice.

At a time when the best players in the country typically leave after one year of college, Paige and Dunn elected to stay. Both have reaped the rewards of their decisions.

But in order to obtain perhaps the most valuable prize — an NCAA title — Paige and Dunn will have to get past each other, as top-seeded North Carolina takes on the ninth-seeded Friars in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday.

“It's really refreshing ...” said Providence coach Ed Cooley of Paige and Dunn staying in school. “We really talk about student-athlete, and I think those young men are epitomizing that and still reach their ultimate goal of being an NBA player.”

Paige and Dunn entered college as the No. 22 and No. 23 prospects, respectively, in the Class of 2012, according to ESPN. Of the 21 players ranked ahead of them, 14 declared for the NBA draft at some point over the past three years.

About a year ago, Dunn considered following in their footsteps.

Projected by NBA scouts as a first-round pick, the redshirt junior faced the temptation of leaving Providence and beginning his professional career. His father advised him to. So did Cooley.

But Dunn spurned the NBA draft and the millions of dollars he’d make as a first-round selection so he could improve his game and earn his college degree.

“I wanted to finish school,” Dunn said. “I just wanted to graduate, and I just wanted to be a good role model for my two little sisters. They are about to go into high school, and I wanted to show them the importance of education and get experience and knowledge on the court.”

Dunn’s now considered a lottery pick. He earned Big East player of the year and defensive player of the year honors for the second consecutive season and won his first career NCAA Tournament game in Thursday’s victory over Southern California.

If the guard had entered the NBA draft a season ago, he would have finished 0-2 in NCAA Tournament play and wouldn’t have the opportunity he and the Friars have to upset UNC on Saturday at PNC Arena.

"Really, I don't really think about the NBA and going pro …” Dunn said. “Last night is a memory I'm always going to have, and I'm glad I came back.”

Despite struggling at times during his senior season, Paige agrees with this sentiment.

After being named the ACC Preseason Co-Player of the Year, the Tar Heel guard shot 27.9 percent on 3-pointers during conference play before finding success from behind the arc in the ACC Tournament.

Paige said on Wednesday he knows he’s likely lost some money this season in terms of where he’ll be selected in the NBA draft. But the time he’s had to grow and mature has been invaluable.

“I’m happy with my decision,” he said. “If I would have left my sophomore year, I’d be in the third year of a contract right now. But I also wouldn’t have my degree, and I wouldn’t have the experience I’m having this year being part of an elite team that has the chance to do something special.”

For UNC to take the next step toward that ultimate goal, Paige will likely have to step up defensively against Dunn in Saturday’s second-round contest.

But moments like these are why he stayed.

“Different guys have different situations,” said Paige of players' decisions to enter the NBA draft. “A lot of times, the money playing at the next level is hard to turn down, but I don't think anything beats these four years.

“You only get four, so you might as well use them."

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