It's been another busy offseason so far in the Twin Cities. New head coach Niko Medved has come in and put his own stamp on this Gopher roster, bringing in eight transfers in his first two months on the job, a list that now includes Maryland guard Chance Stephens within the last couple weeks.
Now that the dust has settled for the most part around the program, we have a much better idea who will be suiting up for the Gophers in 2025-26. And on the flip side, we now know where the transfer portal departures from this past roster will be playing ball this upcoming winter.
Interestingly enough, several former Gophers made the decision to drop down to the mid-major level for 2025-26. Those decisions could help the departures make an immediate impact at their new locations. For Gopher fans, it will be worth keeping an eye on each as we evaluate Medved's first roster and whether he made the right personnel decisions as he begins to develop this team.
Frank Mitchell, F/C
Dawson Garcia was certainly the most important loss for the Gopher frontcourt this offseason, but Frank Mitchell was, quite literally, a large one himself. The 6'8", 260-pounder came to Minnesota after developing into a double-double machine at Canisius, and made his presence felt on the block for the Gophers.
Mitchell finished his lone season with the Gophers averaging nearly 16 minutes per game, averaging 4.9 PPG and 4.7 RPG. Certainly those numbers won't blow anyone away, but Mitchell did play his best basketball down the stretch, and his size and presence around the rim will sorely be missed on this roster.
He'll be heading back to the Northeast in 2025-26, after signing with the St. Bonaventure Bonnies. After winning 22 games total and going .500 in the Atlantic 10 last season, the Bonnies should be a factor once again in the league, with Mitchell likely to play a leading role in this frontcourt.
Committed to St. Bonaventure
Brennan Rigsby, G/F
Another player who proved to be just a one-year rental for Ben Johnson's final team on campus, Brennan Rigsby was a pleasant surprise in a lot of ways this past season. Much like Mitchell, his numbers don't blow you away - he averaged 5.4 PPG on 38% shooting - but there were several games where he was the most consistent scorer of any player on this roster not named Dawson Garcia.
Rigsby went for 14 points against Penn State and 20 against Nebraska, with both games on the road, and his 18 points against Wisconsin were the only reason the Gophers were able to hang around until late in the Border Battle matchup. It almost felt like he went under-utilized this past season, spending most of the season as a role player once Mike Mitchell Jr. returned to the lineup after an early-season injury.
Next up for Rigsby will be Radford of the Big South, an interesting final destination for his winding collegiate career. Considering he spent time at a pair of power conference programs, in Oregon and Minnesota, and proved he could play at that level, it was somewhat of a surprise to see him drop down to a mid-major. However, now he finally has a chance to be a focal point on offense, and he has the offensive skillset to really surprise in 2025-26.
Committed to Radford
Tyler Cochran, G
Tyler Cochran concluded his Minnesota basketball career as a big what if. He committed to the Gophers very late in the process last summer, in late June, and was supposed to give the team a veteran ball-handler who could play alongside Mike Mitchell Jr. In fact, he was a pretty major addition for Ben Johnson and this staff, as he had notable other power conference interest, including Big Ten foe Ohio State.
Instead of being a key figure on the 2024-25 team, Cochran never ended up playing a single minute on the raised hardwood of Williams Arena. He suffered a foot injury in the preseason that required surgery, and was expected to be out until December. But as the season progressed and Cochran was no closer to suiting up, it became clear his lone season in the Twin Cities was going to be spent on the bench.
Now, Cochran will join Mitchell in moving on to the Atlantic 10, as he will suit up for Rhode Island this upcoming winter. There may be some understandable risk for the veteran guard after missing an entire season, but it wouldn't be shocking if he has a resurgent season with the Rams. When we last saw him, Cochran was an All-MAC selection with Toledo, averaging 14.4 PPG. He's always been a player who has relied more on his crafty interior game and touch around the rim rather than pure explosiveness, which should aid him well in his return from the foot injury.
Committed to Rhode Island
Kadyn Betts, G/F
It just never quite came together for Kadyn Betts at Minnesota, a player who I was very high on throughout his entire three-year tenure with the Gophers. You saw the potential - at 6'8" with superb athleticism, Betts had the physical gifts and versatility to make a real impact. He was an elite three-point shooter in high school, and the hope was that he would round out his offensive game in college. That just didn't happen wih the Gophers, as he played sparingly over the last two seasons after redshirting in 2022-23.
The next destination for Betts will be with the Montana Grizzlies, a school that recruited him hard in high school when he was playing at Pueblo Central in Pueblo, Colorado. After winning both the Big Sky regular season and conference tournamen title, the Grizzlies have bolstered their roster with several notable portal acquisitions, including Betts. He'll have a chance to play in meaningful games with real postseason implications, after three rough seasons at Minnesota.
Committed to Montana
The fact so many of Minnesota's transfer departures dropped to the mid-major ranks is a great indication why the team spent so much of 2024-25 near the Big Ten cellar. However, all four departures land at understandable destinations and will see more opportunities in 2025-26 with increased minutes. For Gopher fans who are likely to have to slog through another rough year on the court this winter, at least in Year One of the Medved era, perhaps they can find some solace in watching former Gophers find success in their new homes.