NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — When you mix the returning core of Sion James, Kevin, Cross, and Jaylen Forbes from last year‘s 20-win team with a promising 2023 signing class, you get what head coach Ron Hunter calls the most talented team he’s had at Tulane.
The Green Wave’s participation in the FISU World University Games is nothing but positive for the program, given the additional reps and opportunities they’ll have to gel as a team against top-tier competition in meaningful basketball games.
“We’re practicing like we’re playing for our conference tournament. Usually, you bring guys in and it’s a slower process. Because of the games, we’ll be playing next week, we’ve kind of put some of these kids in some tough situations to get them ready. This will definitely benefit us, but again, we’re not just to go to play, we’re trying to win a gold medal,” says Tulane head coach Ron Hunter.
Tulane will be the fifth NCAA program representing the United States at the World Games. Two of the last three representatives won gold. That was Kansas in 2015 and Clemson in 2019.
“It’s exciting that someone wanted us to do this. This definitely wasn’t on our radar and to be invited to something like this, this isn’t something you say ‘no’ to or say, ‘Well let somebody else do it.’ We’re honored to be able to do this and we’re going to represent to the best of our ability,” says Tulane head coach Ron Hunter.
The FISU World University Games run from July 28th to August 8th in Chengdu, China.
Tulane head coach Ron Hunter says when Tulane lands, they will play China. They open with Poland, followed by the Czech Republic, and Japan in pool play.
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