Jack Nunge reminds me of...

[hawkaeg80]

Watching multiple Xavier games this year it finally dawned on me that Nunge's game reminds me of Matt Bullard's game. He can score from deep three-pointers, mid-range, and inside. I think he has been averaging double-digit rebounds or close to it. If he would have stayed, boy what a team we would have had.
I was a sophomore at Kennedy (Cedar Rapids) in 1984 when we won state. We had to make it through defending champion Linn-Mar first. That game was the only high school game ever to be played at Carver because they played at the 5 Season Center earlier in the year and it was packed (I was able to get tickets so I was there).
Anyway, the final was Kennedy v. West Des Moines Valley. Of course, all eyes were on Al Lorenzen, Iowa signee and who was known as the Vanilla Gorilla (I doubt that nickname would be used now). He was a senior and Bullard was a sophomore. Bullard mopped the floor with Lorenzen. I thought then he would be a darn good player, which proved to be true.
The comparison doesn't stop at Junge's/ Bullard's game. Bullard was a transfer also (from Colorado to Iowa).
Bullard played nine seasons in the NBA. (1990–94, 1996–2001). He played with the Houston Rockets and won a championship in 1994. He also played one season each with both the Atlanta Hawks (1995–96) and the Charlotte Hornets (2001–02).
After retiring he was the play-by-play announcer for the Rockets. He officially retired in June of 2021.
Not bad for an undrafted player.

 

[kceasthawk]

Watching multiple Xavier games this year it finally dawned on me that Nunge's game reminds me of Matt Bullard's game. He can score from deep three-pointers, mid-range, and inside. I think he has been averaging double-digit rebounds or close to it. If he would have stayed, boy what a team we would have had.
I was a sophomore at Kennedy (Cedar Rapids) in 1984 when we won state. We had to make it through defending champion Linn-Mar first. That game was the only high school game ever to be played at Carver because they played at the 5 Season Center earlier in the year and it was packed (I was able to get tickets so I was there).
Anyway, the final was Kennedy v. West Des Moines Valley. Of course, all eyes were on Al Lorenzen, Iowa signee and who was known as the Vanilla Gorilla (I doubt that nickname would be used now). He was a senior and Bullard was a sophomore. Bullard mopped the floor with Lorenzen. I thought then he would be a darn good player, which proved to be true.
The comparison doesn't stop at Junge's/ Bullard's game. Bullard was a transfer also (from Colorado to Iowa).
Bullard played nine seasons in the NBA. (1990–94, 1996–2001). He played with the Houston Rockets and won a championship in 1994. He also played one season each with both the Atlanta Hawks (1995–96) and the Charlotte Hornets (2001–02).
After retiring he was the play-by-play announcer for the Rockets. He officially retired in June of 2021.
Not bad for an undrafted player.

Jack's had an eventful college career. I remember when he and Luka joined the Hawks. I really thought Nunge would be the bigger star........Hard to believe they came in together and Jack is still playing in college

 

[hawkjt]

Makes. You wonder how Iowa let Matt get away to Colorado in the 1st place?
Did Iowa recruit and offer Matt?

 

[CookyMonster]

Remember when he started at the 3 for us?

 

[Max_Rebo]

Makes. You wonder how Iowa let Matt get away to Colorado in the 1st place?
Did Iowa recruit and offer Matt?

I was thinking about the same thing. Is it possible that he was coming out of high school the same year as Armstrong, Marble, and Horton? Is so, it's not hard to understand why Iowa might have let him get away.

 

[QChawks]

very solid comparison, although Nunge is more of a shot blocking force do to his length

 

[Mohawkeye]

Watching multiple Xavier games this year it finally dawned on me that Nunge's game reminds me of Matt Bullard's game. He can score from deep three-pointers, mid-range, and inside. I think he has been averaging double-digit rebounds or close to it. If he would have stayed, boy what a team we would have had.
I was a sophomore at Kennedy (Cedar Rapids) in 1984 when we won state. We had to make it through defending champion Linn-Mar first. That game was the only high school game ever to be played at Carver because they played at the 5 Season Center earlier in the year and it was packed (I was able to get tickets so I was there).
Anyway, the final was Kennedy v. West Des Moines Valley. Of course, all eyes were on Al Lorenzen, Iowa signee and who was known as the Vanilla Gorilla (I doubt that nickname would be used now). He was a senior and Bullard was a sophomore. Bullard mopped the floor with Lorenzen. I thought then he would be a darn good player, which proved to be true.
The comparison doesn't stop at Junge's/ Bullard's game. Bullard was a transfer also (from Colorado to Iowa).
Bullard played nine seasons in the NBA. (1990–94, 1996–2001). He played with the Houston Rockets and won a championship in 1994. He also played one season each with both the Atlanta Hawks (1995–96) and the Charlotte Hornets (2001–02).
After retiring he was the play-by-play announcer for the Rockets. He officially retired in June of 2021.
Not bad for an undrafted player.

I was at that game as well! Had to see the top 10 recruit we were getting in 'Vanlla.

I think Jack is more of an interior player whereas Bullard better at handling the ball and shooting, but there are similarities. Bullard was skinny as heck, him and Uthoff always struck me as similar players.

 

[icwesthawk]

Remember when he started at the 3 for us?

It was just wrong

 

[Fan In Black]

Iowa lost 5 players from 84-85. Stokes, Payne, Fulford, Berkenpas to graduation. Dave Snedker left too.

in 85 they brought in freshmen Marble, Horton, and BJ. Gamble came from JUCO. and Lohaus was returning from RS.

Bullard was in that 85 class so there just wasn't room at the time or Raveling didn't want him. Who knows.

 

[Fan In Black]

that 88-89 team had a salty starting 5.

Roy Marble. 20.5 / 5.6 rpg
Ed Horton. 18.3 / 10.6 rpg
BJ Armstrong 18.6 / 5.4 apg
Ray Thompsen 11.5 / 4.5 rpg
Matt Bullard 9.1 / 6.2 rpg

but little depth outside of Moses and Jepsen

 

[Max_Rebo]

that 88-89 team had a salty starting 5.

Roy Marble. 20.5 / 5.6 rpg
Ed Horton. 18.3 / 10.6 rpg
BJ Armstrong 18.6 / 5.4 apg
Ray Thompsen 11.5 / 4.5 rpg
Matt Bullard 9.1 / 6.2 rpg

but little depth outside of Moses and Jepsen

Ray Thompson and Brian Garner were both freshmen on that team. I think many hoped Garner would be a greater contributor. He came in as a strong recruit, having been named as an alternate to the McD's All-American team. Sadly, he only lasted a couple of seasons at Iowa, then transferred to Oral Roberts. More info here: Garner

The other freshmen on the team were all Iowa kids -- Wade Lookingbill, Troy Skinner, and Brig Tubbs. Pretty big drop-off, talent-wise, compared to the starters.

 

[hawksense]

Ray Thompson and Brian Garner were both freshmen on that team. I think many hoped Garner would be a greater contributor. He came in as a strong recruit, having been named as an alternate to the McD's All-American team. Sadly, he only lasted a couple of seasons at Iowa, then transferred to Oral Roberts. More info here: Garner

The other freshmen on the team were all Iowa kids -- Wade Lookingbill, Troy Skinner, and Brig Tubbs. Pretty big drop-off, talent-wise, compared to the starters.

Uhh, yeah.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

Op comparison to Bullard seems ok, but I think Bullard was much more of a shooter than Nunge.

Jack's have an excellent season - good for him!

BTW, it seems like a ton of Xavier games are on TV. Not complaining ... but why?

 

[Ronman]

Matt could have been so much more for us if he hadn't gotten hurt at the end of a meaningless game that was well in hand.

 

[DewHawk]

Op comparison to Bullard seems ok, but I think Bullard was much more of a shooter than Nunge.

Jack's have an excellent season - good for him!

BTW, it seems like a ton of Xavier games are on TV. Not complaining ... but why?

Not sure (Xavier), but they are leading the Big East. Also, I have been following and Creighton and there are a lot of Big East games on TV. I root for Xavier and Creighton due to Iowa connections.

 

[MAXIMUSHAWKEYE]

Matt could have been so much more for us if he hadn't gotten hurt at the end of a meaningless game that was well in hand.

Iowa seemed to have some shitty luck with players getting injured during that era as well as kids flunking out like Thompson. When was the last time we lost a kid due to academics? Is it a thing anymore??

 

[littlez]

Op comparison to Bullard seems ok, but I think Bullard was much more of a shooter than Nunge.

Jack's have an excellent season - good for him!

BTW, it seems like a ton of Xavier games are on TV. Not complaining ... but why?

Because the Big East is a top 3-4 conference?

 

[Titanhawk2]

Iowa lost 5 players from 84-85. Stokes, Payne, Fulford, Berkenpas to graduation. Dave Snedker left too.

in 85 they brought in freshmen Marble, Horton, and BJ. Gamble came from JUCO. and Lohaus was returning from RS.

Bullard was in that 85 class so there just wasn't room at the time or Raveling didn't want him. Who knows.

As Raveling said about his team in '84 "They're not my kind of players", so I highly doubt he looked at Bullard

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

Bullard was more mobile than Jack, at least pre-injuries. I don't blame him for transferring, but Jack sure would have made the Hawks a better team the past two years, assuming Rebraca would still have come here.

 

[perryhawk]

Bullard was a really good 3 point shooter and pretty athletic for a guy that tall/big.

The terrible part for him was that he not only got injured once, but twice.....significant season ending injuries two years in a row. When healthy, he was a great player.....I still don't understand how he was overlooked.

Lorenzen was a home grown stud also....very very highly rated recruit. Again, due to injuries (I think he fought back problems most of his career), his college career wasn't as good as it could have been. I do remember one game (I think at Illinois) where he had somewhere more than 20 points in the first half....giving a glimpse of his talent.

 

[HawkRugged17]

Al Lorenzen 18-40 (45%) from three point range in his senior year 87-88.

Bullard was 17-43 (40%) from three his junior year 88-89
And he was 25-71 (35%) from three his senior year 89-90

 

[Bishop1971]

Al Lorenzen 18-40 (45%) from three point range in his senior year 87-88.

Bullard was 17-43 (40%) from three his junior year 88-89
And he was 25-71 (35%) from three his senior year 89-90

Wow, don't remember Lorenzon being that good of a 3 pt shooter. Pretty impressive.

 

[longliveCS40]

I was at that game as well! Had to see the top 10 recruit we were getting in 'Vanlla.

I think Jack is more of an interior player whereas Bullard better at handling the ball and shooting, but there are similarities. Bullard was skinny as heck, him and Uthoff always struck me as similar players.

Agreed. Nunge is more of a post player than Bullard was. It's too bad things transpired as they did. Would have loved to see Jack play 4 years at Iowa.

 

[iowa surfer]

Watching multiple Xavier games this year it finally dawned on me that Nunge's game reminds me of Matt Bullard's game. He can score from deep three-pointers, mid-range, and inside. I think he has been averaging double-digit rebounds or close to it. If he would have stayed, boy what a team we would have had.
I was a sophomore at Kennedy (Cedar Rapids) in 1984 when we won state. We had to make it through defending champion Linn-Mar first. That game was the only high school game ever to be played at Carver because they played at the 5 Season Center earlier in the year and it was packed (I was able to get tickets so I was there).
Anyway, the final was Kennedy v. West Des Moines Valley. Of course, all eyes were on Al Lorenzen, Iowa signee and who was known as the Vanilla Gorilla (I doubt that nickname would be used now). He was a senior and Bullard was a sophomore. Bullard mopped the floor with Lorenzen. I thought then he would be a darn good player, which proved to be true.
The comparison doesn't stop at Junge's/ Bullard's game. Bullard was a transfer also (from Colorado to Iowa).
Bullard played nine seasons in the NBA. (1990–94, 1996–2001). He played with the Houston Rockets and won a championship in 1994. He also played one season each with both the Atlanta Hawks (1995–96) and the Charlotte Hornets (2001–02).
After retiring he was the play-by-play announcer for the Rockets. He officially retired in June of 2021.
Not bad for an undrafted player.

Matt Good.

 

[Mohawkeye]

Wow, don't remember Lorenzon being that good of a 3 pt shooter. Pretty impressive.

The fact that he didn’t start on that team tells you how talented it was. Crazy.