First-year Illini men’s basketball coach John Groce landed his most heralded recruit to date with the commitment of Chicago Simeon shooting guard Kendrick Nunn.
The 6-foot-1 Nunn ranks 56th on ESPN.com’s top 100 rankings. The left-handed Nunn is said to possess a smooth shooting stroke from beyond the arc and impressive body control when going to the hole. At 175 pounds, Nunn will need to add a bit more meat to his frame to avoid being physically outmatched. Known as an unselfish player, Nunn works well on the break and consistently works to stretch the defense.
Nunn chose the Illini over Memphis, Ohio State and Marquette. He is the third commit to the 2013 class, joining the #25 shooting guard, 6-foot-5 Malcolm Hill, and the #19 center, 6-foot-10 Maverick Morgan.
Nunn averaged 15 points per game last season while winning his third consecutive state championship. The winning patterns continued when Nunn helped Team USA win gold at the FIBA U17 World Championship this summer.
While much will be made about Nunn’s commitment possibly influencing his superstar teammate, top-ranked recruit Jabari Parker, do not drink the Kool Aid. Parker’s list has not included the Illini since he came out with his top ten, and he appears ready to cut his list down to five.
The addition of Nunn is a major accomplishment, and for a team in transition like the Illni, it should be enough to add some serious anticipation for years to come.
The Big Guy
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