RandBall: U’s Niko Medved says transfer portal recruiting ‘a lot like NBA free agency’

[BleedGopher]

Per RandBall:

Let’s listen to new Gophers men’s basketball coach Niko Medved, who is trying to build a 2025-26 roster mainly out of recruits from the transfer portal:

“It’s moved a lot like NBA free agency, to be honest. Most of these guys have agent representation. Obviously, NIL and the money is a part of it,” he said during Wednesday’s Daily Delivery podcast. “I think for a lot of these portal guys, they’ve kind of cut out all the fluff. [They] don’t need to be on campus for 48 hours, go to the football game, do all the pomp and circumstance. They’ve kind of been through that before. They know what’s important to them in this, and we do, too.”

RandBall: U’s Niko Medved says transfer portal recruiting ‘a lot like NBA free agency’

In a wide-ranging interview on Wednesday’s Daily Delivery podcast, the new Gophers men’s basketball coach distilled the modern college recruiting experience.

www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[60's Guy]

NO Worries! We got another recruit coming! Just can't announce it yet.
Those were the paraphrased words of Niko.

The other interesting reminder...these guys all start practicing in a month.

 

[howeda7]

Good interview. I thought the Gopher coach could only do his mandated media with KFAN and then had to hide the rest of the time?

Gotta love Mystery Recruit. Gawson Darcia?

 

[60's Guy]

Good interview. I thought the Gopher coach could only do his mandated media with KFAN and then had to hide the rest of the time?

Gotta love Mystery Recruit. Gawson Darcia?

Niko could probably carve out some minutes for Garcia, but lets just say for speculation it's not him. Some people follow this...who have we been rumored or connected to that hasn't signed with someone else so far? Who is it likely to be when announced officially?

 

[Bobek]

NO Worries! We got another recruit coming! Just can't announce it yet.
Those were the paraphrased words of Niko.

The other interesting reminder...these guys all start practicing in a month.

I hope the next new player is 6’10” or taller. They need more bigs.

 

[Roland Brooks]

They need scoring… they have 2.5 centers.. I would like a shooter/scorer IMO

 

[Unregistered User]

They know what’s important to them in this, and we do, too.

Yup, money.

 

[eker0016]

Niko could probably carve out some minutes for Garcia, but lets just say for speculation it's not him. Some people follow this...who have we been rumored or connected to that hasn't signed with someone else so far? Who is it likely to be when announced officially?

Cade Tyson? I don't really follow this much though.

I listened to the Talk Gopher Buckets podcast today and Niko specifically mentioned how they have more analytics than you could ever imagine to evaluate guys in the portal, and one of the things they are looking at is bringing in players who were used in one way at another school and they think he could be deployed differently. Makes me wonder if he is going for a reclamation project like Tyson.

 

[Bobek]

They need scoring… they have 2.5 centers.. I would like a shooter/scorer IMO

They have 6’8” and 6’10” transfer bigs. Grove is a forward and who knows if he can contribute this year. That’s not enough in the middle in the Big Ten, where 7 footers roam the paint. But I agree you never have too many shooters.

 

[Roland Brooks]

They have 6’8” and 6’10” transfer bigs. Grove is a forward and who knows if he can contribute this year. That’s not enough in the middle in the Big Ten, where 7 footers roam the paint. But I agree you never have too many shooters.

Yes two centers who have both started and Crocker Johnson who can play center… IMO with these three here hard sell to get a big with any skill to come here… if they sign a 7 footer at this point it would most likely be skinny not very skilled player.. don’t get me wrong I would love if it could happen..

 

[Bobek]

6’8” centers worked in the 60’s and 70’s, I.e. Wes Unseld. But today, unless they are strong, mobile and shoot well, they will get worked over by Big Ten bigs. Crocker Johnson is really a four who can match up with other fours. Hopefully they don’t have to play him at the five.

 

[SplitDecision]

MN needs a "splashy" signing(s) to get fan base (and media) excited. So far a decent team with a limited ceiling that local fans are cautiously optimistic about.

 

[pharmacygopher]

They have 6’8” and 6’10” transfer bigs. Grove is a forward and who knows if he can contribute this year. That’s not enough in the middle in the Big Ten, where 7 footers roam the paint. But I agree you never have too many shooters.

Honest question. How many B1G teams have 7' players? I don't care enough to look up each schools rosters but gut tells me the Edeys of the world are rare and we can get along just fine if we don't land someone's over 7'

 

[DarthGopher]

They have 6’8” and 6’10” transfer bigs. Grove is a forward and who knows if he can contribute this year. That’s not enough in the middle in the Big Ten, where 7 footers roam the paint. But I agree you never have too many shooters.

Pull out a ruler and look at 2 inches. Personally, 2 inches doesn't matter much, but, I suppose it sounds cooler to say "7 footer" than it does to say "6 foot 10 incher".

 

[eker0016]

Honest question. How many B1G teams have 7' players? I don't care enough to look up each schools rosters but gut tells me the Edeys of the world are rare and we can get along just fine if we don't land someone's over 7'

ChatGPT says Oumar Ballo, Tomislav Ivisic, Vlad Goldin, and Danny Wolf. I know it missed a few (like Northwestern's Keenan Fitzmorris who averaged 2 points and 1 rebound, and we pursued last year). But your point stands...there just aren't very many and the good ones want a big paycheck at a place like Michigan.

In his podcast with Jeffrey Goodman, Niko said quality posts were expensive and he basically said he was choosing to spend less money on guys who had skill in a different area (good passers) and spend that money at a position where his dollar can be stretched further for quality players. I would rather he do this than get a bad player who checks a height/weight box.