We knew Iowa would be losing a huge part of their front court after this season with the departure of two-time Big Ten Player of the Year Luka Garza. It turns out they're going to be losing even more of their front court than just Garza. Jack Nunge announced on Tuesday that he plans to transfer away from Iowa to a school closer to home (Indiana), to be closer to his family.
Jack Nunge to Transfer
— Iowa Basketball (@IowaHoops) March 30, 2021
"Jack expressed his desire to continue his education and complete his eligibility at a school closer to his family. My staff & I fully support his decision and will help every way possible with his transition." - Fran McCaffery
: https://t.co/H5N9Q2ZZN8 pic.twitter.com/40KbNrkpyK
Nunge's decision makes all the sense in the world, given everything that he's endured over the past year (or, really, just the past six months). His season began with the unexpected and tragic death of his father. It ended abruptly -- and prematurely -- a month ago, after sustaining a torn meniscus. This was the second-straight year that Nunge's season ended early due to a knee injury. He has endured immense amounts of pain, both physical and emotional, over the last few years. If anyone deserves a shot at a fresh start, it's certainly Nunge.
The departure of Nunge does leave Iowa perilously thin in the front court, but that's an issue we can discuss further in a future post. For now, we're happy to thank Nunge for his contributions at Iowa over the past four seasons and wish him the very best wherever his path takes him next. As we said, if anyone deserves some good fortune, it's definitely Jack Nunge. Best of luck, Jack.