DanielHouse
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Gophers guard Amir Coffey has announced he intends to fulfill his declaration and enter the NBA Draft, per Evan Daniels. Coffey had until May 29 to determine whether he would return to Minnesota or officially declare. After testing the waters this spring, Coffey decided to forgo his senior season and pursue an opportunity to play at the professional level.
Last season, Coffey led the Gophers, averaging 16.6 points and 3.2 assists per game. In Minnesota’s ten Big Ten wins, Coffey averaged 23.7 points per game. On the flip side, he posted 12.4 points per game in the Gophers’ 11 Big Ten losses. When Minnesota’s top-scorer was dialed in, it elevated the play of everyone around him. During the final half of the season, Coffey was playing at a very high level, which drew attention from NBA scouts.
Coffey will now chase a childhood dream – to play in the NBA. His position versatility, ability to handle the ball and size are attractive attributes professional teams like. He is working with Excel Sports Management, one of the top sports agencies representing NBA clients. Coffey participated in the G-League Invite and met with the Nuggets, Hawks, Celtics, Pelicans, Thunder and others, according to Darren Wolfson. He also worked in front of many teams at a recent Pro Day.
His most recent workouts have gone well and he’s spent extra time working on his jump-shot, according to Marcus Fuller. This is clearly an area where he must develop additional consistency at the next level. Although many top draft analysts are projecting him to go undrafted, Coffey could still pursue an NBA career by following the G-League path. However, a team may be willing to put him on their roster because they like his overall upside.
With Coffey deciding to declare, the Gophers now have two open recruiting slots for the upcoming season. No matter what, it will be difficult to replace a player with the skills Coffey can provide in the back court. Minnesota will be relying upon Pittsburgh transfer point guard Marcus Carr to make an instant impact. They will also likely need to add one more versatile guard who can handle the ball and play on the wing. Those in the building are very pleased with the progress of Vanderbilt transfer guard Payton Willis and he may become one of the most surprising contributors next season.
Last season, Coffey led the Gophers, averaging 16.6 points and 3.2 assists per game. In Minnesota’s ten Big Ten wins, Coffey averaged 23.7 points per game. On the flip side, he posted 12.4 points per game in the Gophers’ 11 Big Ten losses. When Minnesota’s top-scorer was dialed in, it elevated the play of everyone around him. During the final half of the season, Coffey was playing at a very high level, which drew attention from NBA scouts.
Coffey will now chase a childhood dream – to play in the NBA. His position versatility, ability to handle the ball and size are attractive attributes professional teams like. He is working with Excel Sports Management, one of the top sports agencies representing NBA clients. Coffey participated in the G-League Invite and met with the Nuggets, Hawks, Celtics, Pelicans, Thunder and others, according to Darren Wolfson. He also worked in front of many teams at a recent Pro Day.
His most recent workouts have gone well and he’s spent extra time working on his jump-shot, according to Marcus Fuller. This is clearly an area where he must develop additional consistency at the next level. Although many top draft analysts are projecting him to go undrafted, Coffey could still pursue an NBA career by following the G-League path. However, a team may be willing to put him on their roster because they like his overall upside.
With Coffey deciding to declare, the Gophers now have two open recruiting slots for the upcoming season. No matter what, it will be difficult to replace a player with the skills Coffey can provide in the back court. Minnesota will be relying upon Pittsburgh transfer point guard Marcus Carr to make an instant impact. They will also likely need to add one more versatile guard who can handle the ball and play on the wing. Those in the building are very pleased with the progress of Vanderbilt transfer guard Payton Willis and he may become one of the most surprising contributors next season.
