College basketball recruiting: Xavier lands commitment from highly touted Belmont transfer Adam Kunkel Kunkel averaged 16.5 points per … An experienced sharpshooter may be exactly what this young team will need. Adam Kunkel will transfer to Xavier. Kunkel has excellent footwork and a quick, consistent release; he can find pockets of space on the floor and take advantage of them. https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/4398300/ While Kunkel did a good job going to all three levels last year, his shooting percentage at the rim was just 53.6%, off the pace of Xavier's returning guards Tandy (57.6%) and Paul Scruggs (58.3%). Another last-minute thriller Kentucky could not pull out. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. Belmont transfer and Hebron (KY) native Adam Kunkel entered the transfer portal Tuesday and the Wildcats reportedly have already reached out, per a report from Kentucky Sports Radio’s Jack Pilgrim, who says that Kunkel was actually considering Kentucky as a potential grad transfer destination next year.. Back in June, speculation grew louder in Northern Kentucky that Kunkel … Belmont transfer Adam Kunkel commits to Xavier. People are speculating on him coming here but there's no place to put him for 2020 unless someone leaves. Kunkel, who is from nearby Hebron, Ky., … Depending on which metrics you like, he was either just above or just below average defensively at Belmont; the ability to be the kind of defender Coach Steele demands at Xavier will probably be what determines his immediate contribution at X. I'm excited to have Kunkel on board. Junior guard Adam Kunkel received word that his NCAA waiver appeal to play immediately has been approved. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Kunkel had his choice of several local high-major programs, turning down the likes of UK and Louisville to make his way to Cintas. Here’s the full list of teams that have shown interest according to KSR’s Jack Pilgrim. With his decision, Kunkel is now the third player this offseason who decided to leave Belmont after a championship season. Xavier guard Nate Johnson out for the season. Iowa State, Kentucky, Cincinnati, St. John’s, Oklahoma and Louisville He averaged 16.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists as a sophomore at Belmont. Kunkel'… Belmont starting guard Adam Kunkel announced he will enter the transfer portal, beginning a new chapter of his college career after two years with the program. What is Xavier getting in Belmont transfer Adam Kunkel? “First, I would like to thank God for giving me the ability and opportunity to play … On Tuesday, Adam Kunkel decided to enter into the transfer portal, making it clear that he will no longer be headed back to Belmont. Xavier escaped with a home win over Marquette on Sunday after guard Adam Kunkel, a transfer from Belmont who entered the day averaging just 3.0 … Kunkel is from Union, Ky. which is less than 30 minutes from Xavier. (07-27-2020 12:03 PM) dsquare Wrote: It will be interesting to see if a late add like this runs off frosh recruits after year 1 due to playing time, etc. Announcing his transferring today, Kunkel has already been contacted by a few major programs, including Xavier and Cincinnati which are both only about a 20-30 minute drive from Hebron. HOLIDAY SPIRIT: What 9 March Madness contenders might put on their wish lists this season. The Wildcats don’t need Kunkel, but he would be likely be welcome addition. On November 16, 2019, Kunkel scored a career-high 35 points in a 100–85 win against Boston College in the Gotham Classic. "Junior guard Adam Kunkel received word today that his NCAA waiver appeal to play immediately has been approved. He took about a quarter of his shots from the rim and another quarter from the mid-range, a distribution reminiscent more of Myles Davis or Remy Abell than Brad Redford or Ryan Welage. Initially, Kunkel was not looking for a waiver to immediately play and was going to use the year to bulk up and prepare his body for the physicality of Big East Basketball. The 6 … There's a reason so many good programs were after him, and it's hard to deny the value a shooter can have in the modern game. Kunkel finished with 12 points. … The improvement was obvious as Kunkel became a force in his second season at one of the association’s better mid-major programs. After scoring 2.3 PPG as a freshman, Kunkel dropped 16.5 last season. Kunkel is more than just a catch and shoot dude on offense. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – Belmont standout guard Adam Kunkel has announced his decision to enter the transfer portal after two seasons with … The top line of Kunkel's resume is that he can flat out stick. By ADAM ZAGORIA Xavier scored big on the transfer market on Saturday when they landed Belmont transfer Adam Kunkel. They penciled him in as a grad transfer option for 2021-22, knew he was interested in coming back in June. Xavier has gone from a sure thing to just barely there. He's 94-253 (37.2%) from behind the arc in a Belmont uniform, including 83-213 (39%) last season. For a team that struggled from both behind the arc and at the stripe, Kunkel's skill set will be a welcome addition. The NCAA Basketball transfer portal still remains active, even towards the end of July. Twitter reactions to Kentucky’s loss to Florida. You can read Bryan's breakdown of the decision above. That stance has changed since Kunkel shared that sentiment in December. Kentucky falls to Florida: 4 things to know and postgame chatter. As a freshman, he averaged 2.3 points in 9.3 minutes per game. There’s a new transfer to track for the Kentucky Wildcats. He earned First-Team All-Ohio Valley Conferencehonors. Over the weekend, Belmont transfer guard Adam Kunkel announced that he had chosen to continue his basketball career at Xavier. Things aren't getting easier around the rim for him, and a year to add size and continue to add to his bag should help. AD Junior guard Adam Kunkel was sure Belmont was the place for him. He may have so much that shying away from UK could be a smart move. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. He'll sit one to play two at Xavier. Adam Kunkel Transfer G 07-21-2020, 03:04 PM. Skyy Clark still expected to stay in 2022 class, Kentucky unlikely to add another non-conference game to schedule, Sunday Headlines: Senior Day for UK Hoops Edition. 4. Adam Kunkel, a 2018 Cooper High School graduate, announced on Tuesday that he would transfer from Belmont University. Adam Kunkel decided fairly late into the summer to enter the transfer portal and seek to fulfill his eligibility elsewhere after having a breakout season … Kunkel spurned a lot of other high-level programs to come to Xavier. As of now, we don’t know if Kentucky heavily pursue Kunkel. He measures out at 6'3", 165 in the program, an inch taller and 25 pounds lighter than Kyky Tandy, Xavier's smallest rotation player from last year. Over the weekend, Belmont transfer guard Adam Kunkel announced that he had chosen to continue his basketball career at Xavier. Tough pill to swallow, but a familiar one for Kentucky this season. Report: Louisville in Contact with Belmont Transfer Adam Kunkel Just one day after entering the transfer portal, the Louisville Cardinals have … The 6-foot-3 guard played his high school ball at Cooper, just an hour or so from Lexington. The two sides talked originally and Kunkel’s camp came away thinking UK didn’t have a spot for him this year, wasn’t expecting him this early. But this one was a surprising addition, with sophomore shooting guard Adam Kunkel the latest entrant. Xavier faces must-win game against Creighton and wins: Three Takeaways. The year off while making the jump from a low-major to the Big East should do Kunkel good. He also jarred more than 41% of his mid-range jumpers last year, a number on par with what Tre and JP offered on those shots. On Tuesday, it was revealed that Hebron-native Adam Kunkel is transferring from Belmont, and Kentucky has already reached out. Kentucky reached out today, source tells KSR https://t.co/XIJJR6jL75. That said, he initially announced his plans to transfer on Twitter, thanking his former university and then noting his plans for the future. RE: Cooper grad Adam Kunkel to transfer from Belmont. Kunkel expected to redshirt his freshman season at Belmont to put on weight, but instead became a rotation player. Adam Kunkel will be playing college basketball closer to his old Kentucky home, just not in the state of Kentucky. His second season, Kunkel averaged 16.5 points per game and 2.5 threes per game. Ultimately, the difference between a starter, a rotation player, and a role guy off the bench is defense, and Kunkel is going to need to get bigger to be able to defend effectively at X. Showing no signs of any real rust, Xavier shot 51 percent from the field, including 10-of-20 from 3-point range. Kunkel had his choice of several local high-major programs, turning down the likes of UK and Louisville to make his way to Cintas. Will UC, Xavier, NKU pick him up? Kunkel immediately becomes one of the most sought-after transfers left on the board. Brown started several games in 2019 but rarely saw the field in 2020. This is not a great development for a team desperate for scoring punch. That fact alone should make it even more clear that Kunkel has what it takes in order to continually improve and find time with Kentucky. He's transferring from Belmont where he avg'd 16.5 ppg last season. He attended Belmont University for two years before deciding to transfer. Belmont sophomore Adam Kunkel, a first-team all-conference guard, announced Tuesday he was entering the transfer portal. Belmont transfer and Hebron (KY) native Adam Kunkel entered the transfer portal Tuesday and the Wildcats reportedly have already reached out, per a … Kunkel is already drawing high-major interest. "Belmont will always have a special place in my heart, but I've been faced with a difficult decision to make," Kunkel wrote on Twitter. Kunkel is originally from Cooper HS in Hebron KY and entered the portal today. Kunkel leads Belmont over Austin Peay 71-63 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Adam Kunkel scored 12 of his 19 points in the second half and Belmont beat Austin Peay 71-63 on Saturday night. Former Cooper High School star Adam Kunkel announced he will transfer from Belmont earlier this week. The next transfer is Adam Kunkel. Adam Kunkel hit back-to-back 3-pointers giving the Musketeers an 11-point lead, their largest lead to that point. As a sophomore, Kunkel averaged 16.5 points, 2.6 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game, shooting 39 percent from three-point from behind the arc. Please enjoy the below highlight mix from his time at Belmont, though you may want to do so with the volume down if you have impressionable minds in the area. Shooting 39% from downtown, Kunkel should be a top target for UK. Xavier fans will also be delighted that he is 100-121 (82.6%) from the line on his career. Here's a closer look at what he brings to campus (and where he'll need to develop). He will sit one to play two years. Adam Kunkel scored 15 and Nate Johnson added 14 for the Musketeers (11-2, 4-2 Big East), who had not played since Jan 10, due to COVID-19 issues. Yeah, I updated the article. Kentucky misses a chance to potentially get a double-bye in the SEC Tournament. Although, after losing all five starters, the team could use the help. Former Cooper High School standout Adam Kunkel is set to transfer from Belmont. 3. Below, I'll take a closer look at what Kunkel brings to X. Pilgrim notes many top-tier D-I programs, so it would make sense for Kentucky, the region’s best men’s basketball program, to at least reach out and see if he’s interested in what the Wildcats have to offer. Box score and MVP from Wildcats’ loss to Florida. Davion Mintz shares positive message for Big Blue Nation. Xavier hassled, attacked, and bullied Creighton at various times to bring home an invaluable Big East win. Kunkel, a 6-foot-3, 165-pound guard out of Hebron, KY, announced this afternoon that he will be entering the transfer portal after two years with the program. Opting to attend Belmont, Kunkel averaged 2.3 points per game his freshman season, playing just under 10 minutes per game. Kentucky is among the schools to reach out to Belmont transfer and Hebron native Adam Kunkel, per Jeff Borzello of ESPN. After all, the Wildcats are bringing in BJ Boston, the best shooting guard in the Class of 2020. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Entering his third season, Kunkel would have competition. Kunkel made his name at Belmont, not being rated by 247 Sports coming out of high school. On Tuesday, it was revealed that Hebron-native Adam Kunkel is transferring from Belmont, and Kentucky has already reached out. After spending two seasons at Belmont University, the Hebron, KY native announced he will cross the Ohio River to continue his basketball career at Xavier University. Mintz is staying positive amid Kentucky’s struggles. “As a senior in 2018, the in-state star was named All-State by the Associated Press & Louisville Courier-Journal, was a Kentucky Mr. Basketball Finalist, the Most Valuable Player of the Ohio-Kentucky All-Star Game, earned All-Cincinnati Area Boys’ Basketball Team honors by Cincinnati.com, and 2018 Kentucky Co-Ninth Region Player of the Year,” KSR’s Pilgrim wrote. After scoring 2.3 PPG as a freshman, Kunkel dropped 16.5 last season. Most memorable shot: Belmont transfer Adam Kunkel with the fade-away buzzer-beater 3-pointer to lift Xavier to a 91-88 win over Marquette and remain unbeaten at 8-0, 1-0 in the Big East.