All Things 2023 Gophers Basketball Recruiting Thread

Donate To GopherHole
leib0039 said:
I have said many times I think Winter is a MASSIVE recruit. MN kid who has 2 Gophers athletes as parents, he is 100% the guy CBJ was hired to keep home. Not only that but playing with Robison can only help with him as well. I hate to use the "MUST GET" line, but I think he means a lot.

That said, its only 1/2 year but I do have some hope that CBJ can develop guys more than Pitino. That was the main issue with Pitino in my book, if we didnt get the highly ranked 4* kid we were stuck because no one got better with him. Look at when we succeeded with RP, it was when we had 4* guys like Oturu, Coffey etc. Again, only 1/2 year but I think the staff has shown the ability to mold/improve kids to get the best out of them. At the current moment I am less concerned about * ratings with our recruits than i have been in a long time.
Click to expand...
I'll never hinge my thoughts on one player, but Winter leaving U of MN would sting

especially if it's one of our border rivals
 

bc2211 said:
MN is like the third oldest team in the country - it’s fine to be hopeful CBJ can develop players, but I don’t think we will have any indication of that until next year at the earliest.
Click to expand...
You play the game with the players who show up. I've seen plenty of indications.
 

leib0039 said:
I have said many times I think Winter is a MASSIVE recruit. MN kid who has 2 Gophers athletes as parents, he is 100% the guy CBJ was hired to keep home. Not only that but playing with Robison can only help with him as well. I hate to use the "MUST GET" line, but I think he means a lot.

That said, its only 1/2 year but I do have some hope that CBJ can develop guys more than Pitino. That was the main issue with Pitino in my book, if we didnt get the highly ranked 4* kid we were stuck because no one got better with him. Look at when we succeeded with RP, it was when we had 4* guys like Oturu, Coffey etc. Again, only 1/2 year but I think the staff has shown the ability to mold/improve kids to get the best out of them. At the current moment I am less concerned about * ratings with our recruits than i have been in a long time.
Click to expand...
Except we have far more than half a year. These guys aren’t new, just new here. I can personallyvouch that your on to something.
 

bc2211 said:
MN is like the third oldest team in the country - it’s fine to be hopeful CBJ can develop players, but I don’t think we will have any indication of that until next year at the earliest.
Click to expand...
I respectfully disagree. Getting a team to play together is evidence of being able to coach. Our team plays fundamentally sound basketball. Most of these players weren't recruited by high major programs which may say that they were overlooked or that they have been coached up. Watching how we play gives me lots of confidence that they can be coached up.
 

CoMn said:
I respectfully disagree. Getting a team to play together is evidence of being able to coach. Our team plays fundamentally sound basketball. Most of these players weren't recruited by high major programs which may say that they were overlooked or that they have been coached up. Watching how we play gives me lots of confidence that they can be coached up.
Click to expand...
Agree to disagree, I suppose. To me, what you describe is a different thing all together than development. IMO development means taking inexperienced guys and adding skills/moves/assets to their repertoires, correcting weaknesses, continuous improvement over time so that 3 star players become effective role players and occasionally difference makers. Watch enough Wisconsin and you’ll see guys put pieces together one at a time.

What BJ has done is great and one significant part of the job - creating winning game plans with the assembled pieces. I just don’t think we can speak to CBJs ability to take raw players and turn them into polished players yet.
 



salzie said:
I'll never hinge my thoughts on one player, but Winter leaving U of MN would sting

especially if it's one of our border rivals
Click to expand...

Id be more concerned that Winter would go to Stanford....

I’m also hopefully he stays home and goes to the U as I know Ben Johnson and Thorson have recruiting him hard and consider him an important recruit to sign.
 


Spottedmuskie said:
Just saw this, how good is this guy? Looks like he is pretty coordinated for his size and can shoot the three
Click to expand...
From what I've seen he's not the best athlete and his jump shot release is incredibly low. Has an undesired 'push' motion and shoots from the hip.

I'm not going to pretend to be some elite evaluator of talent though. Maybe just a depth signing?
 



Parcival said:
From what I've seen he's not the best athlete and his jump shot release is incredibly low. Has an undesired 'push' motion and shoots from the hip.

I'm not going to pretend to be some elite evaluator of talent though. Maybe just a depth signing?
Click to expand...
Bens play is to “close the border” so if it’s a depth/ project recruit should come from our backyard then.

here’s his profile -
 

Parcival said:
From what I've seen he's not the best athlete and his jump shot release is incredibly low. Has an undesired 'push' motion and shoots from the hip.

I'm not going to pretend to be some elite evaluator of talent though. Maybe just a depth signing?
Click to expand...
He shoots a set shot from the 3. Seems to me it depends on his position, if they plan on him playing in the post and only stepping out to shoot a three occasionally then I don't see a problem, if he was to play a stretch 4 like Battle is doing then I don't see the fit.
 

Is Kapke close to committing or something? I see he was offered in early October. I guess I’m just curious in the renewed interest in posting about him.
 

Parcival said:
From what I've seen he's not the best athlete and his jump shot release is incredibly low. Has an undesired 'push' motion and shoots from the hip.

I'm not going to pretend to be some elite evaluator of talent though. Maybe just a depth signing?
Click to expand...
Seems like Ben really wants all 5 players on the court to shoot the 3 ball
 



Bakary Konate’s Hands said:
Is Kapke close to committing or something? I see he was offered in early October. I guess I’m just curious in the renewed interest in posting about him.
Click to expand...
I was browsing the recruiting section from MN Basketball hub and noticed he had a Minnesota offer. I had missed that on this thread. I'll admit I'm guilty for getting excited about Minnesota recruits
 


Spottedmuskie said:
Boden Kapke picked up offers from Xavier and Iowa this week
Click to expand...
Saw HF play Edison, Kapke a stud, but Edison won the game because HF guard play is brutal, But it'll be interesting to see if they can land both Kapke and Winter, to go with Payne, Thompson, Ihnen as a 5th year Junior and potentially Parker Fox as a 7th year Senior if he applies for a medical waiver. Also still have Battle and JOJ as Big threes who can play the four. Doubt plays out that way one way or the other, but it'll be interesting to watch.
 

Fleckoff said:
Saw HF play Edison, Kapke a stud, but Edison won the game because HF guard play is brutal, But it'll be interesting to see if they can land both Kapke and Winter, to go with Payne, Thompson, Ihnen as a 5th year Junior and potentially Parker Fox as a 7th year Senior if he applies for a medical waiver. Also still have Battle and JOJ as Big threes who can play the four. Doubt plays out that way one way or the other, but it'll be interesting to watch.
Click to expand...

Parker is definitely staying for 2 more years or he would be playing this season.
 




Momcilovic is a 2023 top 50 PF from Wisconsin, and Knueppel is a 2024 guard from Wisconsin with several high major offers
 



Cayman said:
247sports.com

Four-star Brady Dunlap is wide open with his options

Four-star wing Brady Dunlap updates his recruitment.
247sports.com 247sports.com

“As of now, Dunlap says Minnesota, San Diego State, and Xavier are the high major programs recruiting him the hardest.”

Brady Dunlap is a SF from California, currently ranked #60 overall in the 2023 class.
Click to expand...
Looks like Ben is going to battle Xavier for quite a few recruits
 

jovs said:
He shoots a set shot from the 3. Seems to me it depends on his position, if they plan on him playing in the post and only stepping out to shoot a three occasionally then I don't see a problem, if he was to play a stretch 4 like Battle is doing then I don't see the fit.
Click to expand...

He looks like a 5. He doesn't have the athleticism to guard a 4. Looks like a Badger big man.
 

Stillwater Junior Max Shikenjanski Shows That He Is More Than Just A Former Gophers’ Son​


gopherhole.com

Stillwater Junior Max Shikenjanski Shows That He Is More Than Just A Former Gophers' Son - GopherHole.com

Max Shikenjanski, a 6-foot-2 junior guard from Stillwater (MN) High, is one of the top scorers in the state. He is also a familiar name to local basketball fans as his father, Jim Shikenjanski played at Minnesota from 1986-90. Shikenjanski is averaging 29.7 points per game for the 9-7 Ponies...
gopherhole.com gopherhole.com
 
Last edited:

Chatman dropped to 71st in his class on 247 Composite. 247 also lists Winter and Patrick Bath as the only three players ranked from Minnesota in 2023. I wonder if the Gophers will offer Bath.

247sports.com

2023 Top Basketball Recruits in Minnesota

The 247Sports rankings are determined by our recruiting analysts after countless hours of personal observations, film evaluation and input from our network of scouts.
247sports.com 247sports.com
 

leib0039 said:
I have said many times I think Winter is a MASSIVE recruit. MN kid who has 2 Gophers athletes as parents, he is 100% the guy CBJ was hired to keep home. Not only that but playing with Robison can only help with him as well. I hate to use the "MUST GET" line, but I think he means a lot.

That said, its only 1/2 year but I do have some hope that CBJ can develop guys more than Pitino. That was the main issue with Pitino in my book, if we didnt get the highly ranked 4* kid we were stuck because no one got better with him. Look at when we succeeded with RP, it was when we had 4* guys like Oturu, Coffey etc. Again, only 1/2 year but I think the staff has shown the ability to mold/improve kids to get the best out of them. At the current moment I am less concerned about * ratings with our recruits than i have been in a long time.
Click to expand...

Both of whom CBJ recruited. I believe it was Richard Coffey who said if not for CBJ, Amir never would have come to Minnesota.
 


Parcival said:
From what I've seen he's not the best athlete and his jump shot release is incredibly low. Has an undesired 'push' motion and shoots from the hip.
Click to expand...
This made me think immediately of John Shurna. In no sense of the word could he ever be described as being highly athletic and when shooting it was like he was heaving the ball outward from his midsection. In addition to that, there was a little hitch in his shooting motion too. I have literally no idea how he made that work, but dang what a shooter he was, just a hell of a good player.

He's still playing professionally over in the Spanish League at 31 years old, btw. He's carved out a really nice professional career for himself despite the hinky shooting style and lack of elite athleticism.
 

Parcival said:
From what I've seen he's not the best athlete and his jump shot release is incredibly low. Has an undesired 'push' motion and shoots from the hip.

I'm not going to pretend to be some elite evaluator of talent though. Maybe just a depth signing?
Click to expand...
Not the best athlete? I completely disagree. I am also not sure what you mean by his jump shot release being low. I don't see that. I've officiated a few of his games this year so I have a different perspective. Last night he lost the opening tip and he hustled his tail off and blocked what would have been an easy lay-up to start the game. This kid can dribble the ball, he can shoot, he has a soft touch around the rim, he never quits on plays, he never complains about calls, he dives for loose balls, he picks up his teammates. I hope he stays home!
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom