AUBURN, Ala. – Spark. Energy. Catalyst. Malik Dunbar might not be the star player for Auburn, but the senior has and continues to embrace his role this season. And his impact on the game – the game that's responsible for changing his life – it's immeasurable.
"He's a spark," teammate and close friend Horace Spencer said. "He's a major spark coming off the bench. He can do offense and defense. He's a big-body guard. He's big, strong and a very physical guard. He brings a lot to the table. Whatever you want, he can give it to you."
Dunbar spent a lot of time in the off-season preparing for this season, his last at Auburn, to enhance his game in every way he could. He spent countless hours watching film on himself, working on shooting off ball screens and trying to understand what was a good shot and when to take those shots. He highlighted each one of his weaknesses and placed an emphasis in turning those into strengths.
As a result, his numbers have increased in just about every statistical category. Dunbar is not only playing more minutes, but he is averaging more points (7.5) and rebounds (3.4) per game and he has nearly twice as many steals (24) this season as he had all of last season.
"He did a great job of working hard this whole summer—he stayed in the gym," teammate Jared Harper said. "He put in a lot of time and a lot of hours. He became a better shooter. He truly became better in all aspects of the game."
But the stats don't tell the whole story. Dunbar brings his all to each and every game. That means toughness on both ends of the court when he's on the floor. And that also means energy. It's that energy, on and off the court, that elevates his team.
"If I had to describe him as a teammate, I would say he's very energetic," Harper said. "He gets the team going. When he's gone, we're gone as a team."
"He has this contagious energy," said Auburn graduate assistant Marquis Daniels, a former player at Auburn and in the NBA. "Whether he's singing, dancing or whatever, it's contagious to the other guys. It's not just contagious to the players, but the coaches and fans as well. They all pick up on it and feed off it. He owns up to it, and he owns it well."
It's been apparent that Dunbar's main role coming off the bench is to provide that energy. He gives that extra spark that the whole team needs in the game whether they're ahead or behind, and he knows that. It's why he's embraced his role, especially this season.
"One of the best qualities as a basketball player is my energy," Dunbar said. "I could be on any team and I'll turn them up. It's just me. It's my personality. It's who I am. I get so excited. I bring the energy, and I think everyone else feeds into it."
It didn't start out that way at Auburn, though. Dunbar struggled at first. He wasn't seeing a ton of minutes, and when he was in the game, he wasn't playing well. But he quickly realized that he couldn't get down or else it could have a snowball effect on the team. He had to stay positive. It didn't matter how he was doing or how the team was doing.
"I try to do anything I can to be a positive influence on my teammates," he said. "In the game I would say I'm one of the more outspoken and positive players. I don't care how far down we get in the game. I feel like we can always come back. We have that type of team."
Quickly, that team became a family to Dunbar. His teammates became brothers. And when your family is down or facing adversity, you do anything in your power to help and uplift them.
Thanks to Dunbar, the Tigers have changed the way they break down the huddle after practice. It's now "Auburn" on three and "family" on six. It was his way of putting a little "swag" on it and also his way of showing appreciation to newfound family at Auburn.
"Family means everything to me," Dunbar said. "God first, family second. When nobody else will be there, my family will be. I feel like the people here are my family away from home. I feel like I could call a lot of people here if I'm going through something. If I'm just going through something and I need someone to talk to, I have multiple people here that I can depend on."
When Dunbar made the initial decision to transfer to Auburn from College of Central Florida, he was looking for a school that could help him accomplish his basketball goals. But he also wanted a school that would make him feel like the underdog.
After all, he's been the underdog his entire life.
"I'm the rose that grew out of the concrete," Dunbar said. "I knew I would feel like the underdog at Auburn. I didn't want to go somewhere where they already had a good program. I was going to build something off of nothing with the help of my teammates. We did that."
In his two years at Auburn, Dunbar has been to Italy, San Diego and Hawaii. He was part of a team last year that won the SEC regular-season championship and made the program's first appearance in the NCAA tournament since 2003. He's come a long way since his days growing up in South Carolina when his middle school teacher told him he'd be dead or in jail by age 17.
"That means a lot to me because I'm 23, I'm a senior at a Division I college, and I made it out of my situation and neighborhood doing what I love," Dunbar said. "It just feels really good. I feel blessed."
One day, Dunbar plans to give back to the game that he loves, the game that gave him his opportunity. When his playing days are over, he hopes to go into coaching where he can make a difference in young student-athletes' lives. He wants to help those young, impressionable basketball players who don't think they have any options. He wants to let them know that they do have options. He's living proof.
"I want to be there for those kids," Dunbar said. "I have plenty of things to say to kids like that because I've been in the same situation. Before basketball and before Auburn, I was doing whatever in the streets. When I got to Auburn I realized that I don't have to do all of that. I got surrounded by good people. They changed me, helped me out and changed my mindset a lot."
"I just feel like if people can get out of their main environment, they can see more and do more. There's more to life than your little section."
Dunbar is expected to graduate from Auburn in May with a bachelor's degree. Though it was only two years, his two years on the Plains has shaped him. It has helped him and will continue to impact him for the rest of his life.
"I'm not perfect, but I feel like Auburn has humbled me," Dunbar said. "I want to thank the Auburn Family. I love the Auburn Family. I love them as much as they love me. I appreciate all the support – please keep it coming. I' going to stay live with y'all every game."