It’s still a work in progress at Minnesota though Niko Medved had the Golden Gophers trending in a better direction by the end of last season. The 15-18 record is just a start and certainly not the goal, but the team had least had a postseason by advancing in the College Basketball Crown. Regardless, it’s all about what Medved and his staff does to build this program for the future.
Talent flowing for Gophers
The good news in Minneapolis is that there’s a lot of talent coming back for next season. The team wasn’t hurt too badly by the transfer portal, though top scorers Cade Tyson and Langston Reynolds were seniors out of eligibility. The lineup returns plenty of power, as Isaac Asuma, Jaylen Crocker-Johnson, and Bobby Durkin each averaged double-figures last season. Grayson Grove is also back and brings size in the frontcourt, likely taking on a bigger role as a junior.
The Golden Gophers added some talent into the mix, including a decent recruiting class featuring 3-star center Chadrack Mpoyi as the highlight piece. The transfer haul is five players deep though none of them truly jump off the page. All five appeared in minor roles at major schools last season, including Winters Grady and 7-footer Malick Kordel at Michigan. Nolan Groves didn’t see the court much either as a freshman at Texas Tech though Malachi Palmer adds some experience after being a reserve with Villanova.
Big time addition
It’s the sense of familiarity and experience that makes Kyan Evans stand out as the most important addition from this group. A 6-2 point guard from Kansas City, Evans actually spent a pair of seasons playing for Medved at Colorado State, averaging 10.6 points and 3.1 assists during his sophomore year. After Medved’s departure, Evans transferred and spent last season at North Carolina, but his production and numbers were underwhelming even while starting a handful of games for the Tar Heels.
When you’re looking at this transfer class, it’s pretty clear that Medved is bringing in a bunch of players with significant potential who haven’t quite realized it. Evans is different, despite falling in a similar category. He’s already led the kind of offense that Minnesota is looking to run and has that familiarity with Medved. Evans won’t be overwhelmed in the Big Ten after his work in Chapel Hill and hopes to have a significant bounce back in his senior season.
If he plays up to his potential, Evans pairs nicely with Asuma to create a very intriguing backcourt for these Golden Gophers. Throwing Evans into the mix with those three notable returners already gives Minnesota a lineup that can be more of a contender. There’s still a lot of moving parts and question marks about these other new players, but Minnesota is counting on some of these players really standing out in these new opportunities.
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