Iowa lands skilled big in Nunge
Tom Kakert | Editor
On Sunday, Jack Nunge announced that he would be attending Iowa.
Jack Nunge spent part of his childhood in Iowa City.
Now the 6-foot-9 forward will be able to spend his college years at the University of Iowa.
After moving to Indiana late in his middle school years, Nunge became a recruiting target for Fran McCaffery in the past two years with the Iowa head coach making a number of trips last winter to Newburgh, IN to watch him play along with being at a number of his AAU games with his Pocket City team this spring and summer.
All that leg work paid off this weekend when the three star forward gave Iowa his verbal commitment following his official visit this past weekend.
Nunge selected Iowa over offers from Vanderbilt, Creighton, Clemson, Nebraska, and Georgia Tech.
According to his Pocket City AAU coach N.D. Kendrick, the Hawkeyes are getting a very bright basketball player in the Class of 2017 big forward.
“He’s a really smart young man that thinks the game at a very high level. What I mean by that is he is intelligent that he will over-think everything. He will be great in practice and in the film room and that will help him get on the floor early for Iowa,” he said.
His skill set, is perfect for Iowa’s system, according to Kendrick, who says Nunge is a mobile forward who can shoot it from all over the floor.
“He is really good at spacing the floor,” Kendrick said. “He’s very nimble and quick for a big man. To me, he’s one of the best shooters in the Midwest. There aren’t many guys his size that can shoot it as well as he does. He can dribble drive and kick and I think he’s a great fit for what Coach McCaffery does offensively.”
There are obvious comparisons for Iowa fans to make with his size and skill set and that is to former Hawkeye Jarrod Uthoff. That was part of McCaffery’s sales pitch during the entire recruiting process.
“Fran has been telling him that he’s a lot like Jarrod Uthoff. Now, I think Uthoff is a more explosive player than Jack is right now, but I think he’s a better shooter, so I think that comparison is very valid for him once he gets to Iowa.”
Rivals.com’s national recruiting analyst Eric Bossi has had limited viewings of Nunge, but he is very intrigued by what he has seen from the skilled big man.
“He is a guy that I haven’t seen as much as some guys around the country, but he is really intriguing to me. I see a guy with a live body who can really run the floor and shoot it, but right now he’s on the skinny side. He looks like a guy that could blossom into a really good player.”
Bossi said that as Nunge physically matures during his college career, he could also see some time at the center position.
Tom Kakert | Editor
On Sunday, Jack Nunge announced that he would be attending Iowa.
Jack Nunge spent part of his childhood in Iowa City.
Now the 6-foot-9 forward will be able to spend his college years at the University of Iowa.
After moving to Indiana late in his middle school years, Nunge became a recruiting target for Fran McCaffery in the past two years with the Iowa head coach making a number of trips last winter to Newburgh, IN to watch him play along with being at a number of his AAU games with his Pocket City team this spring and summer.
All that leg work paid off this weekend when the three star forward gave Iowa his verbal commitment following his official visit this past weekend.
Nunge selected Iowa over offers from Vanderbilt, Creighton, Clemson, Nebraska, and Georgia Tech.
According to his Pocket City AAU coach N.D. Kendrick, the Hawkeyes are getting a very bright basketball player in the Class of 2017 big forward.
“He’s a really smart young man that thinks the game at a very high level. What I mean by that is he is intelligent that he will over-think everything. He will be great in practice and in the film room and that will help him get on the floor early for Iowa,” he said.
His skill set, is perfect for Iowa’s system, according to Kendrick, who says Nunge is a mobile forward who can shoot it from all over the floor.
“He is really good at spacing the floor,” Kendrick said. “He’s very nimble and quick for a big man. To me, he’s one of the best shooters in the Midwest. There aren’t many guys his size that can shoot it as well as he does. He can dribble drive and kick and I think he’s a great fit for what Coach McCaffery does offensively.”
There are obvious comparisons for Iowa fans to make with his size and skill set and that is to former Hawkeye Jarrod Uthoff. That was part of McCaffery’s sales pitch during the entire recruiting process.
“Fran has been telling him that he’s a lot like Jarrod Uthoff. Now, I think Uthoff is a more explosive player than Jack is right now, but I think he’s a better shooter, so I think that comparison is very valid for him once he gets to Iowa.”
Rivals.com’s national recruiting analyst Eric Bossi has had limited viewings of Nunge, but he is very intrigued by what he has seen from the skilled big man.
“He is a guy that I haven’t seen as much as some guys around the country, but he is really intriguing to me. I see a guy with a live body who can really run the floor and shoot it, but right now he’s on the skinny side. He looks like a guy that could blossom into a really good player.”
Bossi said that as Nunge physically matures during his college career, he could also see some time at the center position.
