Meet the Newbies: Angel Nunez
By Josh Horton
Mar 10, 2012; New York, NY, USA; Louisville Cardinals forward Angel Nunez (1) and guard/forward Wayne Blackshear (25) celebrate winning the championship game against the Cincinnati Bearcats at the Big East Tournament held at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Compared to last year, the wings on Gonzaga’s roster are completely different. Last year, walk-on Mike Hart was the starting small forward for the Bulldogs. Although he wasn’t the most gifted athlete in college basketball, Hart made the hustle plays that were essential in many of Gonzaga’s victories last season. Hart is now gone, but Mark Few and his staff brought in a pair of wings that possess a great deal of athletic fortitude. Gerard Coleman formerly of Providence College and Angel Nunez formerly of Louisville will be the primary wings on the Gonzaga roster this season. We have already touched on Coleman, so now it is Nunez’s turn. So here is our “Meet the Newbies” feature on Gonzaga forward Angel Nunez.
At Notre Dame Prep
Nunez played on one of the top prep teams in the nation, at Notre Dame Prep. While at NDP, which is located in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, Nunez was a big contributor on a team that advanced all the way to the National Prep Championship final. His senior season Nunez averaged 13.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks. Nunez was a consensus three-star prospect among the recruiting services, and Scout.com had him as the 27th best small forward in the country coming out of high school. Nunez turned down Miami, West Virginia, Rutgers, Florida, UConn, and Miami to go to the University of Louisville. The 6-7 forward garnered comparisons to former Louisville star and first-round draft-pick Francisco Garcia upon committing to Rick Pitino and the Cardinals.
At Louisville
Nunez played sparingly on a Cardinals team that made it all the way to the final four. Nunez averaged only 2.0 points and 0.7 rebounds his freshman year at Louisville while stuck behind of log jam of talent on the wing. His sophomore season started off on a sour note when Nunez sat out the first ten games with an ankle injury and a severe concussion. Nunez then decided that Louisville was not for him, and announced his transfer to Gonzaga University on December, 29th after Gonzaga’s victory over the Baylor Bears.
Impact at Gonzaga
Nunez is an extremely exciting player that the staff is hoping will develop into a Micah Downs-esque player; someone who can use his athleticism to score and defend on the wing. Some are skeptical about Nunez based on his lack of production at U of L, but his talent and versatility is what has enthralled the GU fan base. Nunez can take it to the bucket, shoot from outside, and defend, as well as play the 2-4 positions. With Gonzaga’s reputation for player development, a player like Nunez could be the perfect fit as a Zag. Although Nunez won’t be eligible until after the fall semester, he will be a player to look out for this upcoming season.