PITTSBURGH - Rodney "RJ" Gunn Jr., who spent the past two seasons as part of the Duquesne basketball program, has signed to play professionally for Aris Leeuwarden, a Dutch professional basketball club which competes in the BNXT League. The first-tier BNXT League is the highest level of competition in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Gunn, a graduate transfer from Lenoir-Rhyne, had his 2021-22 season cut short by an ankle injury, prior to rallying to become a top contributor for the 20-13 Dukes in 2022-23.

R.J. GUNN JR. HIGHLIGHTS

• Made his long-awaited DU debut in the season opener vs. Montana after missing the 2022 season with an ankle injury.
• Averaged 8.1 points and 3.4 rebounds in 23 games with four starts. His scoring average and 37 3-pointers made were both fourth-most on the team.
• Scored in double digits seven times - including a career-high 26 points at Saint Joseph's - with all seven double-digit outings coming in Atlantic 10 play.
• Hit a pair of 3-pointers in scoring seven points in 14 minutes off the bench at Kentucky.
• Went 3-of-6 from the arc in scoring nine points in 13 minutes vs. S.C. State.
• Missed the next 10 games (a span of nearly six weeks) with a foot injury.
• Made his return with seven points in 22 minutes off the bench on Dec. 28 at Dayton. The Dayton game marked his first appearance since Nov. 14 vs. S.C. State.
• Went 3-of-6 from 3-point (9 points) and added six rebounds in his first career start vs. Rhode Island on New Year's Eve.
• Added 13 points in 22 minutes off the bench vs. VCU (3-of-5 from 3pt).
• Topped that with a team-high 16 points (4-of-8 3pt) in a start at Richmond.
• Scored 19 of his 26 points in the first half of the win at Saint Joseph's. Went 5-of-7 from the arc vs. the Hawks. The five "3's" were one shy of tying his career high of six set while at Lenoir-Rhyne at Newberry in March of 2021.
• Posted a 10-10 double-double at St. Bonaventure.
• Scored 10 points in 14 minutes off the bench at La Salle.
• Scored 1,183 points in 93 games at D-II Lenoir-Rhyne (19.6 ppg. as a junior and 16.6 ppg. as a senior) prior to enrolling at Duquesne.
• Was a career .380 3-point shooter with 22 games with three or more "3s" at Lenoir-Rhyne.

Gunn, who in the process of completing his graduate degree in Leadership, is the 12th Duquesne player coached by Keith Dambrot to play professionally overseas.

Here's a list of those who played at least one season under Dambrot at Duquesne who are currently playing overseas, are embarking on a professional career or have concluded their overseas careers:

Player (at Duquesne) - Current or last team
Tavian Dunn-Martin (2019-21) - KK Tajfun Sentjur (Slovenia)
Michael Hughes (2019-21) - Kometa Kaposvari KK (Hungary)
Rodney "RJ" Gunn Jr. (2022-23) - Aris Leeuwarden (Netherlands)
Marko Krivacevic (2018) - Falco-Vulcano Energai KC Szombathely (Hungary)
Mike Lewis II (2017-19) - Benacquista Assicurazioni Latina Basket (Italy)
Austin Rotroff (2019-23) - BBC Sparta Bartreng (Luxembourg)
Baylee Steele (2020) - Iwate Big Bulls (Japan)
Kellon Taylor (2017-19) - BC Prievidza (Slovakia)
Marcus Weathers (2019-21) - Tainan Ghosthawks (Taiwan)
Inactive
Rene Castro-Caneddy (2016-18) - Canada in 2022 last
Jordan Robinson (2015-18) - Portugal in 2020 last
Tarin Smith (2017-18) - Italy in 2019 last