Tulane Basketball: 2019-20 season preview for Green Wave

NASHVILLE, TN - MARCH 16: Head coach Ron Hunter of the Georgia State Panthers reacts against the Cincinnati Bearcats during the game in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 16, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

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NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 28: Will Spradling #55 of the Kansas State Wildcats grabs a loose ball in front of Jonathan Stark #2 of the Tulane Green Wave and Tomas Bruha #41 of the Tulane Green Wave during the Brooklyn Hoops Winter Festival at Barclays Center on December 28, 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images) /

A new coach means a new roster and plenty of opportunity at Tulane

Starting fresh with a new era means, at least for Tulane, starting fresh with a whole new roster. Of the players who saw action last season only four return and only one of those, 6-10 sophomore Kevin Zhang saw significant action. Redshirt sophomore Buay Koka is the only other contributor returning, the 7’1 big man from South Sudan averaged 3.7 points and 2.6 rebounds.

With so many spots open and only 10.8 points and 5.3 rebounds returning, it means Hunter had his work cut out for him in assembling a roster. Hunter does have two other players who were with the program last season but didn’t play, both point guards, Ray Ona Embo who missed last season with a knee injury. But, as a sophomore the 6’4 native of France started all but one of his 29 games averaging 10 points, three rebounds, and 3.4 assists. Jordan Walker is a 5’11-point guard who saw limited time in his lone season at Seton Hall.

Hunter welcomes three grad students to the team and all three are guards. K.J. Lawson a 6’7 guard who began his career at Memphis and played last season at Kansas with his brother Dedric. Nic Thomas and Christion Thompson played at Norfolk State and Rhode Island respectively before arriving at Tulane. Thomas led the Spartans in scoring with 14.3 points per game and shot over 39% from distance last season and the 6’4 Thompson was a key reserve for the Rams last season, averaging 5.7 points and 3.5 rebounds in 26 minutes of action.

The four freshmen on the roster give Hunter some length, all four players measure 6’5 or taller. Nobal Days and Tylan Pope are both three-star recruits. Days is a 6’9 power forward from Wisconsin, while Pope is a native of Louisiana who is a small forward at 6’6 who has dominated on the interior against smaller competition. However, will have to develop more of a perimeter game in college.

According to Hunter, the big surprise this summer has been Charlie Russell, Jr. who has impressed during summer workouts and the 6’7 native of New Orleans has the defensive chops coach Hunter likes and the ability to knock down the three.