Sport plays a big role in US college life and that is certainly true at the historic University of Minnesota. Its college sports teams, which collectively are known as the Gophers, all have a proud tradition of sporting achievement to look back on. The Gophers men’s basketball team is always well supported and competes in the college basketball Big Ten tournament. The 2019/20 season has been underway for a few weeks now and while the Gophers have yet to fire, a recent win over Ohio State certainly bodes well for the remainder of the season. Adventurous fans may even be encouraged enough to place a bet at the Sugarhouse sportsbook when they next play!
Although they have not enjoyed a flying start to the 2019/20 campaign as yet, there is no doubt that the Gophers have some real talent on their roster. This has led many people to tip some of the current crop to be picked up in the next NBA draft. But who are the most likely to be included?
Marcus Carr
Carr is a top player for the Gophers and is one that many people feel will be looked at seriously by teams in the coming draft. He showed his talents in the awesome win against Ohio State recently by finishing with 35 points on the night. He also notched up seven assists in the same game to show that he can create for teammates as well as score. Carr moves around the court well and has decent ball-handling skills. Playing at the point guard position, he has already declared his intention to go into the 2020 NBA draft if selected. Pushing on during the rest of the season to showcase his many talents should secure that invitation.
Daniel Oturu
Daniel Oturu was a 4-star rated prospect out of high school when he joined the Gophers in 2018 and since then has gone on to show what he is all about. Standing at 6 feet 10 inches tall and weighing in at 210 pounds, he certainly has the physical attributes to impress any watching NBA teams. Playing at center, Oturu is a powerhouse of a player who is adept at the defensive side of the game in particular. Although his dribbling could do with working on a little, his shooting is also pretty good, as was seen in a recent game against Iowa with a 10 for 12 record come the end of the game. If Oturu can stay fit, keep developing physically and stay in form, he could well make the 2020 NBA draft.
Alihan Demir
Demir was a transfer in from Drexel and has gone on to make a name for himself with the Gophers since. His 6 foot 9 frame makes him almost impossible to miss and gives him the reach and physicality to compete. Playing as a forward, Demir is a versatile player who can make a real impact for his team when he is playing well. As you would expect from someone his size, he is great at hitting rebounds but is also pretty good with three pointers as well. It would certainly not be a surprise to see him selected for the draft in 2020.
Gabe Kalscheur
Playing at shooting guard for the Gophers basketball team is the impressive Gabe Kalscheur. At 6 feet 4 inches and 200 pounds, he has been a standout player for Minnesota for some time now. Not only he is a great defender for the Gophers, he is also good at shooting. In 2018/19 he led the way in both free shots and three pointers for the side and this is an impressive part of his game. Although he has maybe not been at his best so far in 2019/20, many NBA teams could be willing to take a chance on him in the next draft. The talent is there and his solid defensive work allied with his eye for the net could be in demand from some professional teams.
Gophers current basketball team set to shine
There is no doubt that the attacking talent on show for the Gophers currently is pretty special. If they can tighten up in defense a little and cut out silly mistakes, they could push on for the rest of this season. The players detailed above will be a big part of this happening and could well put themselves into contention for NBA draft places if they do. All have the skills and raw potential to make it in the NBA – all it needs is teams willing to take a chance on them.