Since officially signing on to become Minnesota's new head basketball coach, Niko Medved has hit the ground running in the Twin Cities. The roster was already set to be in flux with the graduations of key figures like Dawson Garcia and Mike Mitchell Jr., but the departures of depth pieces like Frank Mitchell and Brennan Rigsby cemented the fact that this was going to be a roster set to turn over this offseason once again.
In the span of several weeks, Medved has brought on seven transfers and while his work is not done, we at least have some idea of what the 2025-26 roster will look like for his debut campaign. Unsurprisingly, Medved has focused on veteran players who can give Minnesota a chance to survive a rugged Big Ten schedule, but there are some interesting additions.
While the coming months will bring further clarity, it's time to break down what the former Colorado State head coach has brought on so far.
Jaylen Crocker - Johnson, F, Colorado State
Minnesota fans were hopeful Medved would be able to lure star guard Kyan Evans with him away from Colorado State, but he instead decided to head to the ACC to play at North Carolina. Forward Jaylen Crocker-Johnson is a fine consolation prize, to this point the only former Ram to announce his intentions to come to Minneapolis.
Crocker-Johnson began his career at Little Rock before a one-season pit stop in Fort Collins, where he started 29 games for Medved and the Rams. Despite playing in a tougher league, the results were encouraging as the 6'8" forward averaged 9.0 PPG and 4.4 RPG on 49% shooting. Most impressive was him finding his range from deep, as he improved into a 35% three-point shooter.
Considering his familiarity with Medved and the fact Minnesota's frontcourt is a complete mystery as things stand today, Crocker-Johnson should vie for minutes right away. The lefty combo forward is unlikely to be the focal point of the offense, but he brings versatility and long-term upside. He was an understandable addition for Medved as he began to craft this roster.
Chansey Willis Jr., G, - Western Michigan
One of the most impactful gets so far of the offseason for the Gophers is unquestionably junior guard Chansey Willis Jr., who comes over from Western Michigan. Willis Jr. brings a proven playmaker to the equation, a combo guard who averaged nearly 17 points per contest and six assists per game with the Broncos.
Minnesota may need that playmaking, but Willis Jr. will have to learn to smooth out some of the rougher parts of his game if he is to become a leading figure on a Big Ten team. Willis Jr. can score in a hurry but he hasn't been the most efficient shooter up to this point in his career, and his 28% three-point percentage certainly leaves something to be desired. He also averaged 3.3 turnovers per game while at WMU, and he will be facing far better defenders as he makes the jump to power conference basketball.
Still, Willis Jr., like most on this roster, has a real opportunity with the lack of proven players in the rotation. Beyond Isaac Asuma and fellow newcomer Langston Reynolds, it's hard to know what we are getting out of Minnesota's ball-handlers.
Langston Reynolds, G, - Northern Colorado
From the Big Sky to the Big Ten, Langston Reynolds is another guard making the jump to power conference ball. Reynolds wasn't much more than a depth piece for the Bears for two seasons before breaking out this past winter, starting all 34 games and finishing second on the team in scoring. A team that, by the way, won 25 games and went to the Big Sky Championship Game.
Was 2024-25 an aberration for Reynolds or the sign of even greater things to come? It's hard to say, but it's hard not to be impressed with what he did last season. Not only did he average 16.0 PPG, he shot the ball at an impressive clip - 59% from the field and 41% from three - and was Northern Colorado's top rebounder at the shooting guard position.
At 6'4", Reynolds is going to play off-ball for Medved and the Gophers, but he's a fun player to watch with the ball in his hands. He's an attacking player off the dribble with the ability to cross up defenders, and he's incredibly active. If he can improve at the free throw line, I think he'll be a Minnesota fan favorite.
B.J. Omot, F, - California
Just like Niko Medved is returning to his roots in the Twin Cities, so too is former Cal Golden Bear B.J. Omot. Originally from Mankato, Minnesota, Omot signed with North Dakota out of high school and played two seasons with the program. He was expected to be a regular contributor for Cal this past season but injuries cut short his season, as he ended up playing just four games for the Bears.
It's hard to take anything away from Omot's time with Cal, but he was All-Summit League player for North Dakota and should make an immediate impact with the Gophers. His relentless on-ball defense should give this Minnesota team some real energy right away and he can essentially guard every position on the basketball court.
Offensively, Omot put up strong numbers with UND, but whether his game translates to the Big Ten remains to be seen. No matter what, he was another understandable addition by Medved, a guy who was looking to return home and has put together multiple seasons of quality basketball in college. If he can return 100 percent, he should be a starter.
Bobby Durkin, F, - Davidson
Minnesota went into North Carolina to bring over forward Bobby Durkin from Davidson, further improving a frontcourt that needs a lot of work. Durkin doesn't seem to be a name that moves the needle quite like other additions, but he's fresh off a solid season playing in a rock-solid Atlantic 10 Conference.
The 6'7" junior doesn't have one skill that shines the most, but he's a solid offensive piece who isn't afraid to take his chances. He averaged nearly eight threes a game with the Wildcats, hitting them at a respectable 36% clip in 2024-25. What is most important for Gopher fans who have watched their team choke away game after game at the free throw line? He's a career 85% shooter at the stripe, even if he hasn't been a player who gets there all too often.
Robert Vaihola, C, - San Jose State
The Gophers need a true center, and hope they have found a potential option in the form of San Jose State transfer Robert Vaihola. At 6'8", 260 pounds, Vaihola is a load to handle underneath, and he proved to be a strong rim protector throughout his time with the Spartans.
The offense will certainly never run through Vaihola, but he's a solid scorer around the rim who is at his best as a rim-runner. He looks like a player who will play the role Frank Mitchell played this last season for the Gophers as a big who can eat up space, rebound the ball, and play physical defense.
Nehemiah Turner, F, - Central Arkansas
Rounding out the transfer portal newcomers is forward Nehemiah Turner, coming over from Central Arkansas. Turner's size will be a much welcome addition for a Minnesota lineup that needs it, as he stands at 6'10" and has proven to be a real presence on the interior.
Turner's numbers at Central Arkansas may not wow you, but he proved to have scoring spark over the past season with the Bears. He went for 37 points against Stetson in the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament this past winter and had two other 20-point outbursts. His smooth touch around the rim and solid repertoire of skill moves is something that can continue to develop with the Gophers, as he has just one year of experience at the collegiate level.
Medved and the rest of this coaching staff have work to do to fill out this roster, but we now have a good sense of what the Gophers will look like when they tip it off next fall. It's not a flashy group of newcomers for Minnesota, but a group that brings ample experience and potential - if they can acclimate to the physical style of life in the Big Ten. Expectations are still likely to be muted heading into 2025-26, and if the new coaching staff can figure this out in a hurry, this could be a Gophers team ready to sneak up on folks inside the conference.