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Tulane Basketball: 2020-21 season preview for the Green Wave

By Benjamin Zacher

Feb 16, 2020; Wichita, Kansas, USA; Tulane Green Wave guard Jordan Walker (2) drives to the basket for a lay up against Wichita State Shockers guard Tyson Etienne (1) during the second half at Charles Koch Arena. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 16, 2020; Wichita, Kansas, USA; Tulane Green Wave guard Jordan Walker (2) drives to the basket for a lay up against Wichita State Shockers guard Tyson Etienne (1) during the second half at Charles Koch Arena. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tulane Basketball
R.J. McGee Tulane Basketball Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports /

Bench

There is a real possibility for Tulane to have a fairly deep bench this season – right around the same number of options as last year.  Two more transfers, two returners, and two freshmen will fill out the marquee bench roles for Hunter and his staff.

Vanderbilt transfer Oton Jankovic is a 6-10 small forward who will, most likely, need another year before he can immediately contribute, but he should garner some playing time as he begins his sophomore season.  He appeared in 21 games last season for the Commodores, scoring five points in a win at Alabama.  With Cross most likely holding down the small forward position for the next three years, Jankovic should flourish over time as one of his back-ups.

The remaining transfer is Jaylen Forbes, a 6-5 guard who is a freak on the boards and displayed strokes of success while playing for the University of Alabama.  Playing in 30 games and averaging 2.7 points per game, Forbes hauled down eight rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench against Penn in his college debut and followed that up with nine boards in 18 minutes against Arkansas.

Given his rebounding prowess, Forbes should have no problems being slotted as an option at small forward.  But he also has the necessary range to be an effective shooting guard – his best performance last season was an 11-point showcase in just 15 minutes at Auburn, drilling three three-pointers in the process.

R.J. McGee is the notable returner, having played just under 137 minutes last year for the Green Wave.  He served as a reliable body when needed, supplying around five minutes per game.  Another option at small forward, McGee should see an uptick in performance after averaging just a point per game last year.

Much like the Walker-Watson dynamic in the backcourt, Hunter and his staff will have some interchangeable options in the frontcourt. Ibrahim Ali is another returning small forward who should see more minutes after seeing just ten minutes of action last year.  At 6-10 and 245 pounds, however, he has the height and manpower to see time at power forward behind Days.

In addition to the transfers, Tulane will be bringing in two three-star recruits.  Jadan Coleman and Sion James – both guards – will not make an immediate impact for the Green Wave, but they should be able to garner quality guidance from both Walker and Watson while receiving necessary experience through playing time.