Nunge's Redshirt Season Provided An Education

Iowa forward played as a freshman, then sat out last season.

Jack Nunge admitted his redshirt path was unusual.

College basketball players don’t take a year off during their careers unless there is a medical reason. Usually, redshirt seasons are taken as freshmen, allowing players to get acclimated to college life, on and off the court.

Nunge did it differently. He played his freshman season at Iowa — he started 14 games, played in 33, and averaged 5.7 points and 2.8 rebounds.

Then last season, with minutes at a premium in the frontcourt, the 6-foot-11 forward from Newburgh, Ind., decided to sit out the season to get stronger and learn more about the game.

His improvement has been obvious.

“He’s grown a lot,” forward Ryan Kriener said at Wednesday’s media day. “You guys kind of got the sneak-peak his freshman year.”

Nunge’s listed weight is 245 pounds — it’s probably closer to 250, Kriener said — and that kind of strength is something he was lacking in his freshman year.

“Physically, he's really in a good place, not only in terms of size and strength but also in terms of stamina,” Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said. “When you have a skilled big man like that and his strength and stamina are in a good place, you end up with somebody who's productive.”

That’s going to be needed in Iowa’s frontcourt. Tyler Cook, Iowa’s leading scorer (14.5 points per game) and rebounder (7.6 per game) last season, is gone. So is Nicholas Baer, who averaged 6.7 points and 4.6 rebounds. Combined, Cook and Baer played an average of 50 minutes per game.

There is opportunity now for Nunge.

“And I knew I had to make the most of my opportunities,” Nunge said. “It was different, but I think ultimately it will help out.”

It was Nunge’s choice to sit.

“I just decided whatever I was going to do, I was going to go all-in for it,” he said. “I think it’s definitely paying off so far.”

“I think it did for his game exactly what we all hoped it would,” McCaffery said. “Number one, he got after it in practice and went against Cook and (forward Luka) Garza every day. He went to an accelerated weight training program, which clearly changed his body, and when you see him, you'll see what I mean. Physically, he is in a completely different place, especially as it relates to his ability to do things in the post. He was always a good post player, but he was on the thin side. He's not on the thin side anymore. He's finishing plays. Defensively, he's always had tremendous defensive instincts, so now you have a bigger body to combat talented players in this league.

“I think it also helped his confidence level. He's making shots at a high percentage. He's running the floor.”

Nunge came to Iowa as the perfect bookend for Garza, who is the same height. Both have the ability to step out and make 3-pointers — Nunge had 19 as a freshman, and scored in double figures in seven games.

Garza, Nunge and the 6-10 Kriener, give Iowa a size advantage inside.

“They're all up right around 250 (pounds),” McCaffery said. “Kriener is a little heavier, Luka is right around there, and so is (Nunge). It gives us three players that are big and strong physically but also each of them can stretch the floor and make threes.”

“He’s obviously put on 30-ish pounds of just muscle from his freshman year,” Kriener said. “He finishes a lot stronger by the hoop.”

“I’m more focusing on using my strength now,” Nunge said.

But sitting out also provided an educational opportunity.

“Being redshirted, you work on your body,” Kriener said. “Every different game, on scout team, you imitate someone else, so you can pick and choose things from other people’s games that you like, and incorporate them into your own, and I think he’s done a really good job of that.”

“I just learned to appreciate the game more,” Nunge said. “You see the game from a different perspective. When you’re playing, you’re not focused on anyone else. You’re focused on making the team better. Now I get to see how the team functions, how to be most beneficial to the team.

“I got to focus on my strength a lot, and learn how to use it on post-ups, or on defense. Going against Luka and Ryan each day, it’s tough, but I learned a lot.”