Rauno Nurger

Rauno Nurger
Tartu Ülikool
PositionPower forward / center
LeagueKorvpalli Meistriliiga
Latvian–Estonian Basketball League
Personal information
Born (1993-11-24) November 24, 1993 (age 30)
Keila, Estonia
Listed height2.08 m (6 ft 10 in)
Listed weight105 kg (231 lb)
Career information
High schoolSunrise Christian Academy
(Wichita, Kansas)
CollegeWichita State (2014–2018)
NBA draft2018: undrafted
Playing career2011–present
Career history
2011–2012Tallinna Kalev
2012–2013Rapla
2018–2019Peñas Huesca
2019–2020Breogán
2020–2022Kalev/Cramo
2022-2023Gipuzkoa Basket
2023–2024Kalev/Cramo
2024–presentTartu Ülikool
Career highlights and awards

Rauno Nurger (born 24 November 1993) is an Estonian basketball player for Tartu Ülikool of the Korvpalli Meistriliiga. He is a 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) tall power forward and center. Nurger played college basketball for the Wichita State Shockers.

High school career

Nurger played for Sunrise Christian Academy in Wichita, Kansas. He averaged 10 points and 9 rebounds for the postgraduate team during 2013–14 season.[1]

College career

Nurger originally signed with Ole Miss but was released from his letter of intent following a coaching change. He then committed to Wichita State in the early summer of 2014. In his freshman year Nurger appeared in 24 games off the bench, averaging 2.3 points and 1.2 rebounds in 8.8 minutes. He scored four points in his collegiate debut against New Mexico State on November 11, 2014, and also played a season-high 20 minutes. Nurger scored a season-high 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting against Saint Louis on December 6, 2014. As a sophomore he had planned to redshirt the 2015–16 season while focusing on strength and skill development but was forced into duty after an injury to senior Anton Grady on November 27, 2015. He removed his redshirt in the season's sixth game on November 29, 2015, against Iowa. In his sophomore year Nurger appeared in 28 games off the bench, averaging 1.6 points and 1.2 rebounds in 7.6 minutes.[1] In his junior year Nurger appeared in all 36 games with five starts as he averaged 5.0 points and 2.7 rebounds in 14.1 minutes. He was ranked third on the team with 15 blocks. Noted as an effective screener and three-point sniper (13-of-28) he was the first Shocker's player off the bench in 15 games and was chosen to the MVC All-Bench Team selection. Nurger helped Wichita State win the 2017 Missouri Valley Conference tournament as they defeated Illinois State 71–51 in the championship game. Nurger ended his college career as one of nine Shockers to participate in more than 100 career victories as Wichita State.[1]

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Rauno Nurger
PF
Keila, Estonia Sunrise Christian Academy 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (100 kg) Jun 3, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 70

Professional career

As a teenager, Nurger played two seasons in the Estonian League for Rapla and Tallinna Kalev teams. On August 16, 2018, he signed with Peñas Huesca of the LEB Oro.[2][3] He stayed in Spain for the next season playing for Leche Río Breogán of the LEB Oro. In July 2020 he signed with Kalev/Cramo and returned to his native Estonia.[4] In September 2022, he went back to play in LEB Oro, this time for Gipuzkoa Basket.[5]

National team career

Nurger made his debut for the Estonian national team on 29 June 2018, in a 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifier against Great Britain, scoring 8 points in a 65–74 away defeat.[6]

Career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  PIR  Performance Index Rating
 Bold  Career high

College

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2014–15 Wichita State 24 0 8.8 .474 .278 .700 1.2 .2 .1 .4 2.3
2015–16 Wichita State 28 0 7.6 .421 .083 .611 1.2 .1 .1 .3 1.6
2016–17 Wichita State 36 5 14.1 .525 .464 .722 2.8 .6 .1 .4 5.0
2017–18 Wichita State 33 2 13.4 .514 .296 .706 2.8 .5 .2 .4 4.4
Career 121 7 11.4 .502 .318 .698 2.1 .4 .1 .4 3.5

Domestic leagues

Season Team League GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2011–12 Tallinna Kalev KML 6 6.8 .250 .000 .750 1.7 .2 .2 .0 1.2
Rapla 11 12.6 .471 .000 .824 2.6 .3 .1 .2 4.2
2012–13 31 11.5 .462 .000 .596 2.8 .4 .3 .3 3.8
2018–19 Peñas Huesca LEB Oro 33 26.1 .592 .154 .784 6.3 1.0 .5 .8 13.3
2019–20 Breogán 24 19.6 .523 .111 .717 4.0 .5 .5 .5 7.2

Estonia national team

Year Tournament National Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2012 2012 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship Estonia U-20 9 8 28.0 .449 .000 .605 5.7 .8 .4 1.4 10.3
2013 2013 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship Estonia U-20 9 8 25.6 .535 .250 .467 5.4 .9 .3 1.8 10.2
2018–19 2019 Basketball World Cup Qualification Estonia 6 2 15.3 .522 .250 .625 2.7 .0 .3 .3 5.0
2020 EuroBasket 2022 qualification Estonia 2 10.1 .750 - 1.000 3.5 .0 .0 .0 4.0

References

  1. ^ a b c "Wichita State Athletics - Rauno Nurger". Wichita State Shockers. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  2. ^ "Rauno Nurgeri karjäär jätkub Hispaanias". sport.err.ee (in Estonian). ERR Sport. 15 August 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  3. ^ "Rauno Nurger, pivot NCAA para Levitec Huesca". FEB (in European Spanish). 17 August 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  4. ^ "Rauno Nurger liitub BC Kalev/Cramoga". sport.err.ee (in Estonian). ERR Sport. 22 July 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  5. ^ "RAUNO NURGER "ESTE EQUIPO PUEDE GANAR MUCHOS PARTIDOS Y LLEGAR LEJOS" | Gipuzkoa Basket Club" (in European Spanish). 2022-09-22. Retrieved 2022-10-06.
  6. ^ "Viimasel veerandil mängu käest andnud Eesti korvpallikoondis kaotas Suurbritanniale" (in Estonian). Delfi Sport. 29 June 2018.