Amir Coffey will be the recipient of a big time recruitment and has already built a good relationship with the Gophers coaching staff.
Amir Coffey, a sophomore wing from Hopkins, is considered the state’s top prospect in the Class of 2016. Coffey helped lead the Royals to 30-2 record this season as they finished runner-up in the Class AAAA Tournament.
Gopher Hole.com caught up with Coffey to learn the latest on his recruitment and spring and summer plans
Gopher Hole: Did you see a difference in the level of competition in EYBL than maybe you had seen in the past?
Amir Coffey: Definitely. It was a faster pace. Stronger people. Bigger people. Definitely, a higher level of competition.
Gopher Hole: Do you think that is going to help you as a player?
Amir Coffey: Definitely. It will develop me because you are playing against the top guys in the country. You are going to meet up with those guys when you go to college, so you might as well do it early.
Gopher Hole: Have you heard from any new schools over the past few weeks?
Amir Coffey: I have been talking to Michigan a little. That is probably the only school that contacted us. I just talked to them but that is about it.
Gopher Hole: You had a terrific year. How many times have you seen highlights of the 60-foot game winning shot versus Shakopee?
Amir Coffey: A lot. With friends and family always showing me.
Gopher Hole: Did you see it on ESPN?
Amir Coffey: I always watch Sports Center. It was the #1 Play of the Day. I watched it that night and it came the next morning. I am a player, so I am always watching Sports Center. It was pretty cool.
Gopher Hole: What was it like to see your own shot?
Amir Coffey: It was pretty cool, because it was Sports Center. Everybody watches Sports Center and it was my first time being up there on anything, so that was pretty cool.
Gopher Hole: Did you hear from a lot of friends and people that you hadn’t talked to for a while?
Amir Coffey: I did. The next day at school, friends and teachers coming up to me and congratulating us and showing us the video, so it was a pretty good day the next day.
Gopher Hole: Unfortunately, you guys came up a little bit short in the state championship game, despite a great effort. Is that a motivating factor and have you talked about that to try to get back and win state next season?
Amir Coffey: Yes. That was actually what we talked about after the game. We beat them earlier like the fourth game of the season, so we thought that we had that game. We were up four with twenty seconds left. A different chain of events. We should have won that game and after that game, we talked about get back there next year and that is the plan.
Gopher Hole: You lose some key seniors like Kamali Chambers, Jake Wright and Stephon Sharp.
Amir Coffey: It is going to be a rebuilding year because not a lot of guys have played besides me and John Warren, but I think that we can do it, if we put the work in.
Gopher Hole: You are expected to be a little bit more of a leader this upcoming season. Is that something that you are looking forward to?
Amir Coffey: Yes. Me and (Coach) Novak have already had those talks. We do it a lot. He told me that I need to step up and be a leader. Me and John Warren. That is what we are prepared to do.
Gopher Hole: I know that Coach Pitino and Coach Young from Minnesota were watching you in Sacramento. Did you notice them there watching?
Amir Coffey: I did. I noticed them the first game against Team Texas Elite. They were actually at all our games. The fourth one got cancelled, so they were at all of them.
Gopher Hole: Did you get to watch them much in the N.I.T?
Amir Coffey: I did. I was excited for them. They didn’t get to the NCAA’s, but at least they won the N.I.T. I was happy for them and it was a great year for them.
Gopher Hole: Watching Coach Pitino, do you see how his style, if you decided to go to Minnesota, how that would fit your style of play?
Amir Coffey: Yes. He is a fast paced type of guy. He gives you freedom on offense and gets after it, so it is definitely my style of play. I am definitely considering Minnesota.