SOUTH BEND, IN – With the coaching staff almost in full shape, it now was time for the Glenn & Stacey Murphy Notre Dame head coach to begin assembling the player pieces. First up for Coach Shrewsberry – adding Northwestern transfer Julian Roper II.
“We are excited to add Julian to our basketball family. He is the ultimate competitor, who will instantly raise the level of everyone in our locker room,” Shrewsberry stated.
A 6-3 guard out of Detroit, Michigan, Roper arrives to South Bend after two seasons with the Wildcats where he played in 44 total games with 15 starts. Roper averaged 4.1 points per game and 3.5 rebounds at Northwestern, shooting 37.7 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from three-point range.
Last season he scored a career high 12 points against UIC and grabbed a career high seven boards against Illinois. A year prior, he ranked in the top-five amongst Big Ten freshmen in both offensive rebounds and steals.
Out of high school, Roper was the No. 4 ranked prospect out of Michigan and the No. 32 shooting guard in the country. In addition, he earned Associated Press First Team All-State honors and was 1-of-5 finalists for Michigan Mr. Basketball following a senior season at St. Mary’s in which he averaged 20.2 ppg and 10.3 rpg.
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