Michigan Basketball: Coach Says Adrien Nunez Is Coming Into His Own

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Michigan head coach John Beilein took a chance on a little known 2018 prospect in Adrien Nunez, and the East Coast standout continues to improve.

Nunez didn’t start playing basketball until he was 14 years old, so he’s still learning nuances of the game. But he’s a lights out shooter, is making shots against high level competition at St. Thomas More in Oakville (Conn.) and continues to improve in the other aspects of the game.

Nunez led his team with 15 points and five rebounds in a recent win over Worcester Academy, head coach Jere Quinn’s 1000th victory, and notched 14 points and six rebounds in a win Saturday to improve St. Thomas More to 14-8 overall.

“First off, he’s such a good kid. He’s an outlier story … the kid doesn’t even play hoops until he’s 14 years old,” Quinn said. “His dad showed me video and how he has restructured his body, who he is as a student athlete is incredible. His work ethic is off the charts.

“He didn’t play loads of minutes [in high school] and was the third or fourth option. Him being a top option here, we’re putting some responsibility on him, and he’s reacted wonderfully. He’s handled it well.”

He’s had some outstanding games, including 24 points in a tight loss to Brewster Academy, 28 in another game and 27 in a win over Naval Academy Prep.

His range extends well past the three-point line, where he’s shooting low 40s (percentage) this year, Quinn reports.

“He’s had games where he’s been outstanding, and he’s played through growing pains in other games,” he said. “At this level, there’s never a night off when you’re not playing against a high major person.

“He’s been our leading rebounder a few times, is a big, strong kid whose got to learn to do a bunch of things. Like all young kids, he’ll go back to what he’s good at [shooting the ball], so we’ll open other doors and say, ‘try this,’ or ‘try that.’ I joke sometimes that he’s too stiff … ‘do you dance at all? We need to get some rhythm in you!' But he’s interested in getting better, and the effort is always there. He wants to learn … he wants to get better.”

Michigan head coach John Beilein is the guy to help him at the next level, Quinn said, given his track record. Still, Nunez is averaging 16 points and five rebounds per game and continues to improve.

“In certain areas he’s very athletic, in others he needs to improve, but he’s a Division I athlete,” Quinn said. “He’s just got to be taken to the next level. He keeps it simple on the court, looks to shoot, and when he penetrates he’s looking to score more … there are times he needs to learn to kick it out.

“But he’s not the kid who was playing ball growing up at seven, eight or nine years old. He was doing those things at 14, 15 and 16, so he’s still developing that feel for the game. I tell him to go to the parks and play as much basketball as he can (in the offseason), too, some three on three, driving left, driving right.”

He’s been a beacon, though, for a 14-8 team that’s been ravaged by injury this year, missing three kids (“on a good day,” Quinn said), including a starting big man and point guard.

He might not star right away in college, but Beilein will make him his project, Quinn noted, and he’s excited to see the result.

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