Nevada Basketball: Jordan Caroline is the unsung hero for the Wolf Pack

Jordan Caroline hasn’t been one of the more talked about players for Nevada Basketball. Yet he could be the most important one for the 2018-19 season.

The hype for Nevada Basketball is off the charts for next season. All of the non-seniors are returning for the team, combined with five different transfers eligible  to play for them after scoring in double figures at their prior schools.

With five-star big man Jordan Brown taking care of the one weakness the Wolf Pack had from a year ago (frontcourt depth), the program is set to have one of their highest preseason rankings in school history.

The moment sank in for fans once Caleb and Cody Martin decided to return, causing mass excitement for everyone who loves Nevada Basketball.

This level of enthusiasm is understandable. The twins went above and beyond expectations in their first year after arriving from NC State. The duo combined to average 32.9 ppg, 11.7 rpg, and 7.3 rpg to help lead a shorthanded Wolf Pack team to the Sweet Sixteen.

However, I couldn’t help but notice the lack of attention to another player returning for his senior year. And he, in fact, could be the key to a Final Four for Nevada.

When head coach Eric Musselman first arrived at Nevada in 2015, he quickly started his talent acquisitions through the transfer market. His first pickup was Jordan Caroline, a 6’7 wing from Southern Illinois. He averaged 9.2 ppg and 6.2 rpg as a freshman starter with the Salukis, before sitting out the following year with his new team.

On the 2016-17 team, Caroline was put in a unique position. Musselman was working with “positionless” basketball, which puts the best players on the court regardless of height and size. That put the former Saluki sometimes in a difficult situation, playing the undersized center at times throughout the season.

Caroline finished his sophomore season averaging 15.0 ppg (third on team) and 9.2 rpg (first on team). He had several scoring outbursts, including a career-high 45 points in the stunning comeback win over New Mexico in overtime. Still, Caroline was outshined by the team’s two leading scorers, Marcus Marshall (19.7 ppg and 3.7 apg) and Cameron Oliver (16.0 and 8.7 rpg), who received most of the attention.

This past season the junior was the defacto team leader, with a bunch of transfers (including the Martin twins) overhauling the roster. The faces were new, but the situation for Caroline was the same. It was another undersized roster, forcing him to play the “five” spot.

Once again he handled it well. Caroline grew into a better post defender and was much more consistent on offense. The Wolf Pack at times only had four true scorers on the active roster, so the junior’s reliability was crucial for the team to win the Mountain West regular season title. Caroline finished the 2017-18 campaign averaging 17.7 ppg and 8.6 rpg in 35 minutes.

Next season will be a totally different roster. A number of big men will be arriving, including the five-star Brown and the grad transfer Trey Porter. A pair of other freshman frontcourt recruits also has a chance to get some minutes as well. Caroline can absolutely play the small forward position, but either Martin with their three-point shooting ability would be a better fit.

Caroline won’t be playing 35 minutes a night next season, but his role by no means should decrease by much. He’s established himself as an elite scorer and rebounder in college. More importantly, the defense and leadership will be important for a deep March run also.

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How Musselman establishes his upcoming rotation will be fascinating to watch. But Caroline, the person who played a huge role in Nevada’s 57 total wins the last two seasons must be a part of the new-look team. He may not get the accolades in current time, but history will look kindly on the first great transfer of this new era of Nevada Basketball.