Commentator makes unfortunate jab at Xavier forward Jack Nunge

Xavier big man Jack Nunge played a key role in the NCAA Tournament victory over Kennesaw State but comments made on the air about him made headlines.

The NCAA Tournament is one of the greatest postseason events in all of sports; it’s a chance for schools or players unknown to briefly become household names. The nation swoons over upsets and remarkable performances, while fair-weather fans or non-sports persona get to learn more about these players and teams. For some people, the learning continues even when they’ve already done their research.

During the exciting first-round action between Xavier and Kennesaw State on Friday afternoon, longtime radio voice Bill Rosinski, who has mostly called football in his career, made certain comments about Xavier player Jack Nunge. Rosinski was talking about the Transfer Portal and how players can easily hop from one school to another these days, but his comments were misinformed and somewhat insensitive as well.

He commented on how Nunge left Iowa and found a better situation at Xavier, but it’s not like that at all. Nunge spent four years in Iowa, though he played just two seasons, having redshirted as a sophomore and missing most of his third season. He didn’t leave the Hawkeyes because he was dissatisfied with the program or wanted to play for a different school, he left because the Indiana native lost his father early into his fourth year in Iowa and wanted to play closer to home.

This has been Nunge’s first season as a full-time starter and he’s been a vital asset to this Musketeers team this season, establishing career-highs with 14.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game this year. In Xavier’s comeback win over Kennesaw State, Nunge contributed 10 points and 11 rebounds for his 11th double-double of the season. Clearly, his role with Sean Miller’s squad has been important, but this wasn’t someone hopping from school to school.

What happened with Nunge and his family is tragic and it underscores a big issue with the Transfer Portal conversations today. Back before the rules were loosened, players used to be able to skip that year of redshirting if they were transferring for family reasons, and Nunge certainly fit that bill. This is not a player who skipped town to find a better fit or an NIL deal, and Nunge would’ve gladly stayed with the Hawkeyes had circumstances turned out differently.

Rosinski’s research on Nunge for this game was clearly inadequate and it underscores another issue with March Madness, forcing people who haven’t been following college basketball to talk about game like they are experts. In all likelihood, there was no malice behind these comments, but Nunge’s situation is inherently unique. His development at Xavier these last two seasons has been fantastic, especially this year with the Musketeers back in the Big Dance, but there’s no question he’d turn back time and have stayed at Iowa with his family still intact.