The Gophers coaching staff will have plenty of time to build a relationship with highly ranked Amir Coffey.
Amir Coffey, a 6-5 sophomore wing from Hopkins, is considered the top in-state prospect in the Class of 2016. Coffey, who recently returned from an injury that kept him sidelined for nearly three months, received a scholarship offer from Minnesota this summer.
Gopher Hole.com caught up with Amir to learn the latest on his early recruitment.
Gopher Hole: How glad are you to be back out on the court ready for your sophomore season?
Amir Coffey: I am very glad. It is good to be back playing with the team and I am happy to get the season started off.
Gopher Hole: You played a lot in the Minnetonka Fall League. What are the expectations for Hopkins this season?
Amir Coffey: Nothing less than the state championship. We have very high expectations at Hopkins and we didn’t win it last year and Hopkins is usually up there. We want a state championship.
Gopher Hole: Hopkins is almost always in the state tournament, but last year, you were knocked off in the section finals in a heartbreaker to Edina. Is that even more of a motivating factor?
Amir Coffey: Definitely. Last year, everyone was saying that we were in a drought and we weren’t like the previous Hopkins teams. That is definitely a motivator to get back to where we were before or even be better than that. To get it all back and win state would be all good.
Gopher Hole: I think that I saw that you are ranked fourth in the country in the Class of 2016 by Scout. When did you hear about that and what was your reaction?
Amir Coffey: I heard that a couple of months ago. I was happy that all that work is paying off. Just got to stay humble with it, but I was excited.
Gopher Hole: Does that motivate you even more because when your opponents are reading that you are the #4 player, they are going to want to shut you down?
Amir Coffey: It motivates me a lot to even work harder. Coming for that number one spot, so you have to work even harder than you were before.
Gopher Hole: What is the latest on your recruitment? How many offers do you have right now?
Amir Coffey: I am at six right now. I have been on the phone with a couple of coaches and they were coming up to open gym. It has been the same for a couple of months now.
Gopher Hole: Have you had a chance to go to any college games so far this fall?
Amir Coffey: Not yet. I haven’t been to any college games.
Gopher Hole: Are you going to try to get some Gopher games soon?
Amir Coffey: Definitely. Definitely. Hometown. It is close. Why not?
Gopher Hole: What are you hearing from the coaching staff at the U?
Amir Coffey: Just keeping in touch with them. Talking and keeping in touch.
Gopher Hole: Do you like the recruitment process? I know that it is so early being only a sophomore, but do you like it or do you see how it could get to be old after a while?
Amir Coffey: It has its ups and downs. Sometimes you get tired of talking on the phone and doing all that. It definitely has its ups and downs.