Brady Dunlap brings more than basketball talent to Notre Dame
STUDIO CITY, Calif. (BVM) — Brady Dunlap has emerged as one of the best shooters in the state of California at Harvard-Westlake. According to On3, he is the No. 76 player in the entire country.
6’7 SG Brady Dunlap is an absolute bucket 🔥 @11Bradyd @TeamSFG_EYBL pic.twitter.com/LPrZ2rAV4A
— Courtside Films (@CourtsideFilms) June 21, 2022
While he is recognized for his shooting ability, his high basketball I.Q. sometimes goes under the radar. This was instilled by his father Jeff, a longtime assistant coach at the Division I level.
“He’s trained me my entire life, ever since I can remember,” Dunlap said. “Always having that person to always go and work out with has been extremely beneficial for my overall game. I give him all the credit for the player I am today because of all of the hours he’s logged with me in the gym.”
Those hours and hours are what have made him so coveted on the recruiting trail.
Going into this summer already a well-known prospect, Dunlap was dealing with a high ankle sprain, but he played through it. It affected his play on the court and some schools even pulled their scholarship offers.
But one school was steadfast throughout the recruiting process. That school was Notre Dame, which he signed with in November.
A West Coast kid making a home in the Bend! ☘️#GoIrish | @11Bradyd pic.twitter.com/HCi4n17YW8
— Notre Dame Men's Basketball (@NDmbb) November 9, 2022
“When I went to Notre Dame, it seemed like all the players were driven just like me,” Dunlap said. “I want to surround myself with people that are like me and that will push me to become the best player I can possibly be. As well as the coaching staff and their belief in me.”
Going through his senior year, Dunlap realizes the pressures that one may face in that situation, but he views it as an opportunity to be an example for others.
“You always have to present yourself in a good way, because you know you’re always being looked at and observed,” Dunlap said. “But at the same time, I don’t really look at it as such a bad thing. It’s cool to be looked up to by little kids. Looked up to by certain people. Have people come up and ask you questions. I’m just blessed to be in this position.”
While he loves that aspect, he sometimes wishes that people would get to know Brady Dunlap the person, rather than Brady Dunlap the basketball player.
A young man that has moved eight times, strives to succeed in academics and overall, is a normal human being off the hardwood.
“I want to have plans to be successful no matter what I do,” Dunlap said. “That’s something I would want other people to see. I feel like us athletes sometimes get put in a box. I wish people would come up and get to know me and learn that I’m deeper of a person than just that.”
