Damian Dunn’s role as a new father is serving as motivation in Temple’s ‘tournament or bust’ campaign

The schedule of a student-athlete is a very daunting one. Days generally consist of film study, weight lifting, practice, classes, homework, team study halls, and gamedays.

For Temple’s Damian Dunn, add being a new father to the list.

Dunn says that life isn’t what changes when you become a father, it’s the perspective you have on it.

“It’s just making that extra effort every day just to find that good balance,” Dunn said. “Managing my time and prioritizing what’s really important with school, ball, and family.”

The redshirt sophomore entered this season with more motivation than any other in his college career. Dunn’s offseason included a preseason first-team all-conference nod, confidence that his Temple team could compete for an NCAA Tournament bid in 2023, and news that he should expect the birth of his son, Nolan, in December.

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Sitting at 14-9 with an 8-2 record in conference play, Temple’s season has been rocky. The Owls lost seven games in the nonconference portion of their schedule to teams that aren’t expected to be dancing in March.

Dunn has missed some time this season due to injury, but that doesn’t allow himself to get too low. However, he feels motivated now more than ever, and he credits it all to Nolan.

“When I feel like I’m not doing enough, he’s the first thing that comes to mind,” Dunn said. “If I don’t do enough in this moment, I’m letting him down. I just try to carry that edge with me now more than ever. It’s really all credit to him for the extra motivation, the extra push to go a little farther than my limits.”

Nolan’s birth was just in time to provide the Owls some good luck for the start of league play. Temple won three games in a row to start and won five of its first seven conference games in AAC play.

Nolan has also changed his old man’s daily routine.

“When I leave practice, the first thing I do is I get on FaceTime with him,” Dunn said. “I talk to him and we just sit there and I watch him cry, watch him eat. I’m just still trying to build that connection and that bond even though he doesn’t really know what’s going on right now. It’s just me still making that conscious effort and still being there for him. That’s what’s most important to me right now.”

FaceTime calls and his role as Temple’s sixth man haven’t affected his play. Temple head coach Aaron McKie, whose son Jaron plays high school basketball at St. Joseph’s Prep and is one of the most sought-after recruits in Philadelphia, has been impressed by how Dunn has entered this next chapter of his life.

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“He’s doing a pretty good job of adjusting to being a new father,” McKie said. “Coming off the bench and just assuming that role, up to this point he’s been doing a good job. When I was in his shoes playing here, I would go back to my room to play PlayStation and stuff like that. But when you become a father, all of that stuff is out. You don’t have time to be doing all those things.”

In his first game as a new dad, Dunn dropped a team-high 22 points, including 16 made free throws in a 73-58 win over East Carolina on Jan. 18. Coincidentally, ECU is Dunn’s hometown school as a native of Kinston, N.C. It’s also a program Dunn notes didn’t offer him a scholarship until two weeks before he committed to Temple.

Needless to say, he’s also found extra motivation whenever the Owls play the Pirates.

Despite being at Temple for four years, Dunn has only played the Pirates three times, all in the last two seasons. When he finally matched up against ECU, Dunn went off for 33 points. If his 22-point performance ends up being his last game against the Pirates, Dunn will be able to tell his son that he averaged 27 points per game against his hometown school.

“I actually did before the game,” Dunn responded when asked if he had given it any thought. “I feel like maybe if it was the last time that I was to play the home team tonight, I just wanted to make sure I dominated.”

Ask him, and Dunn will tell you he believes “this is one of the best teams we’ve had since we’ve been here,” while mentioning Temple’s tournament-or-bust aspirations back in October played a large factor in why he stayed.

However, Temple’s entrance into the NIL world has helped to make life easier as Dunn is part of TUFF Fund, the NIL collective founded by Owls alum Andy Carl, in addition to the financial and emotional support of his Temple family.

“Damian’s just a great kid,” said Carl. “To be able to support someone like Damian is a privilege. It’s exciting for me. Student-athletes are here for four, maybe five years, but they’re Temple Owls for life. And to see him develop off the court is just as exciting as seeing him be able to knock down a game-winning shot on ESPN.”