All Things 2023 Gophers Basketball Recruiting Thread

I know this is a somewhat useless exercise due to transfers/injuries/filling 13 spots etc, but as we sit today do we think in theory we would have 3 open spots for '23 guys? Samuels/Ramberg/Purcell?
I want to say Cooper sounded like this was his last year? So maybe 4 and then obviously who knows with other guys. Just seems interesting that we have Betts, seem all in on Winter and then Christie and Milan plus a few others like Kapke. I would assume if both Samules/Cooper were gone after this year we would 100% need a transfer PG (whether that was a starter or backup).
 

I know this is a somewhat useless exercise due to transfers/injuries/filling 13 spots etc, but as we sit today do we think in theory we would have 3 open spots for '23 guys? Samuels/Ramberg/Purcell?
I want to say Cooper sounded like this was his last year? So maybe 4 and then obviously who knows with other guys. Just seems interesting that we have Betts, seem all in on Winter and then Christie and Milan plus a few others like Kapke. I would assume if both Samules/Cooper were gone after this year we would 100% need a transfer PG (whether that was a starter or backup).
We still in on Chatman for 23 or has that ship sailed?
 

I know this is a somewhat useless exercise due to transfers/injuries/filling 13 spots etc, but as we sit today do we think in theory we would have 3 open spots for '23 guys? Samuels/Ramberg/Purcell?
I want to say Cooper sounded like this was his last year? So maybe 4 and then obviously who knows with other guys. Just seems interesting that we have Betts, seem all in on Winter and then Christie and Milan plus a few others like Kapke. I would assume if both Samules/Cooper were gone after this year we would 100% need a transfer PG (whether that was a starter or backup).
ummm, chatman? or did i miss something?
 




I think Minnesota will get Pierce.
Love it. We have 4 to give. Give me Pierce, Chatman, Winter, Betts and Kapke. If we don't have enough slots for the 5- we will have. Let's go!
 

I live in Kansas City and had a few observations on some Gopher recruits playing here this weekend. Remember, this is summer hoops and they play 6 games or so a weekend.

Trent Pierce—-The coaches are definitely all in on Pierce. Coach Johnson and an assistant were there well before their games and got prime real estate at mid court. The whole Ok State staff was there. Oklahoma had a couple but I did not see Moser. Missouri was all over him with an assistant, but Gates was elsewhere for other recruits. Florida and Illinois not too visible.

he is at best the 3rd best player on his summer team and was not vocal at all. Their vocal leader is the number one kid in the class of 2024, Tre Johnson a Dallas guard. Calipari, Beard etc. we’re here for him. They have a big broad shouldered post who already committed to Oklahoma St. I believe they are Pierce’s most likely destination, but did not see much of a connection between Pierce and the center which is a good sign for us. Pierce plays at Compass Prep in AZ. And the other kid is in Oklahoma for HS.

Pierce looks like a basketball player. 6’7” or so, lean but not skinny, long limbs, smooth but not explosive. A good athlete but not great. In physical appearance and athletic ability, he is very Amir COFFEY ish. However, he had a bad few games when I watched him. Floated on the perimeter a lot as the Ok St. signee was inside. His shooting form was good but had awful results. Probably 0 for 10 from 3 in the three games. Little rebounding and did not seem to have good hands. Looked coachable and unselfish. I did not see him handle the ball at all really and D was ok. I am sure he is a good player who would be a great get for the Gophers, but I did not see it here. He is probably a wing only and when I saw Henley in person, he looked better.

I don’t believe the Gophers are pursuing Momcilovic anymore. I did not see the Gophers there. I have heard it is down to Virginia and UCLA for him. Michigan State is a finalist, but no Izzo there. Iowa State looks like they might get the BILLYEAU kid with Link Academy who is also a PF and higher ranked. Momcilovic is exactly like Dusty Rychart to me. He can score from anywhere and can rebound, but not overly strong or athletic. He just plays really smart and well. He is definitely a stretch 4 in today’s college game. Not a great defender, but ok. I see a. 14 point 6 rebound guy in college. I would love if the Gophers get him based on what I see.

Winter was not playing with Pulley as he is injured. I think that it would be one of three of Winter, Momcilovic, and Pierce to go along with Betts as a forward, but I can’t imagine them turning down any of them if they wanted to commit.
However, they really need a point guard and perimeter quickness offensively and defensively in the next few years.

in a perfect world, it would be Chatman, a quick 3and D wing, Betts as a stretch 4 and one of the other 3 Forwards. If Battle and Garcia stay, I don’t see a lot of time for young forwards.
 

I live in Kansas City and had a few observations on some Gopher recruits playing here this weekend. Remember, this is summer hoops and they play 6 games or so a weekend.



Trent Pierce—-The coaches are definitely all in on Pierce. Coach Johnson and an assistant were there well before their games and got prime real estate at mid court. The whole Ok State staff was there. Oklahoma had a couple but I did not see Moser. Missouri was all over him with an assistant, but Gates was elsewhere for other recruits. Florida and Illinois not too visible.

he is at best the 3rd best player on his summer team and was not vocal at all. Their vocal leader is the number one kid in the class of 2024, Tre Johnson a Dallas guard. Calipari, Beard etc. we’re here for him. They have a big broad shouldered post who already committed to Oklahoma St. I believe they are Pierce’s most likely destination, but did not see much of a connection between Pierce and the center which is a good sign for us. Pierce plays at Compass Prep in AZ. And the other kid is in Oklahoma for HS.

Pierce looks like a basketball player. 6’7” or so, lean but not skinny, long limbs, smooth but not explosive. A good athlete but not great. In physical appearance and athletic ability, he is very Amir COFFEY ish. However, he had a bad few games when I watched him. Floated on the perimeter a lot as the Ok St. signee was inside. His shooting form was good but had awful results. Probably 0 for 10 from 3 in the three games. Little rebounding and did not seem to have good hands. Looked coachable and unselfish. I did not see him handle the ball at all really and D was ok. I am sure he is a good player who would be a great get for the Gophers, but I did not see it here. He is probably a wing only and when I saw Henley in person, he looked better.

I don’t believe the Gophers are pursuing Momcilovic anymore. I did not see the Gophers there. I have heard it is down to Virginia and UCLA for him. Michigan State is a finalist, but no Izzo there. Iowa State looks like they might get the BILLYEAU kid with Link Academy who is also a PF and higher ranked. Momcilovic is exactly like Dusty Rychart to me. He can score from anywhere and can rebound, but not overly strong or athletic. He just plays really smart and well. He is definitely a stretch 4 in today’s college game. Not a great defender, but ok. I see a. 14 point 6 rebound guy in college. I would love if the Gophers get him based on what I see.

Winter was not playing with Pulley as he is injured. I think that it would be one of three of Winter, Momcilovic, and Pierce to go along with Betts as a forward, but I can’t imagine them turning down any of them if they wanted to commit.
However, they really need a point guard and perimeter quickness offensively and defensively in the next few years.

in a perfect world, it would be Chatman, a quick 3and D wing, Betts as a stretch 4 and one of the other 3 Forwards. If Battle and Garcia stay, I don’t see a lot of time for young forwards.

Great info/post - Txs!
 

Love it. We have 4 to give. Give me Pierce, Chatman, Winter, Betts and Kapke. If we don't have enough slots for the 5- we will have. Let's go!
Kapke offer was pulled. Got that info from multiple credible sources. It looks like he may be headed towards the mid major level because high majors have cooled on him
 



Kapke offer was pulled. Got that info from multiple credible sources. It looks like he may be headed towards the mid major level because high majors have cooled on him
Thanks for the info. I trust the coaches on that one. He looks like a bull, but a little slow?
 

Thanks for the info. I trust the coaches on that one. He looks like a bull, but a little slow?
He does have potential with that size but he misses a lot of layups & not the best at covering screens. He is a monster on the glass n does pretty well protecting the rim. I’m surprised 🦡 haven’t offered
 

He does have potential with that size but he misses a lot of layups & not the best at covering screens. He is a monster on the glass n does pretty well protecting the rim. I’m surprised 🦡 haven’t offered
He is the type of big that usually go after n he pans out by senior year (Happ & Kaminsky types)
 








Unfortunately- sounds like Oklahoma State here
Pierce had his official visit here in mid February. Based on the schools he was most interested in, MN was the only one out of his immediate region. I figured we were either a lock as we were such an outlier that he would have had to be enamored to come here or he would end up at one of the others. Some redundancy with Betts so not a great loss with Betts already in the fold.
 






Pierce had his official visit here in mid February. Based on the schools he was most interested in, MN was the only one out of his immediate region. I figured we were either a lock as we were such an outlier that he would have had to be enamored to come here or he would end up at one of the others. Some redundancy with Betts so not a great loss with Betts already in the fold.
So I guess you narrowed it down to he would choose one of the schools he was most interested. 😜
 

I’ll say it now since it’s not sour grapes. Pierce was really bad last weekend. Several schools dropped off of him after the weekend.

Not saying he might not turn out ok, but you did not lose a must-get type.
 

So I guess you narrowed it down to he would choose one of the schools he was most interested. 😜
I guess that wasn't very well worded! Maybe I should have said that he would have had to be super pumped for the Gophers to commit here as we were clearly the outlier. I never got the sense that he was gaga over the U so I felt that he was likely to choose one of the other schools.
 

Gophers hoops top target Cameron Christie has Ben Johnson's full attention this summer​


The Gophers and Ben Johnson have seen Illinois guard Cameron Christie probably more than any other Class of 2023 target so far in the July recruited period.

Christie's older brother, Max, was a standout freshman at Michigan State last season before being drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in last month's NBA Draft.

Hoops stardom runs in the family. The 6-6 senior is generating palpable buzz of his own this summer. Fortunately for the Gophers, they made Cam Christie a priority early on.

Nine other Big Ten programs have offered him, including nearby Illinois and his brother's former school Michigan State.

But no high major staff has worked harder than the Gophers on Christie. Johnson and company are all-in with their recruiting efforts to land him.

"Ben and his staff not only expressed their interest in Cam early on, but they targeted him a year ago," Illinois Wolves director Mike Mullins said. "They've shown their interest in him by having their whole staff watching him. So it's appreciated and noticed by not only Cameron but his family."

Christie's brother was a five-star recruit as a high school senior. Despite being not as highly rated nationally, Cameron's game is similar. And his body is starting to catch up to his skills. He's grown a couple inches since last summer, now standing taller than his big bro at nearly 6-7.

He's still growing and adding bulk to his 175-pound frame. Christie's 16. He'll be only 17 as a college freshman next summer. His game, though, is polished and mature beyond his years: shooting, playmaking, and performing in the clutch.

"He's got tremendous work ethic," Mullins said. "Everybody in his family: his mother, father and brother have set great examples for him. He lives to be in the gym. Very bright kid and student. Professional family. Very coachable. Very teachable."

In Under Armour Association play last week in Atlanta, Christie led his team to three straight victories in front of college coaches, including Johnson and Gophers assistants Marcus Jenkins and Jason Kemp.

"Ben Johnson is a great dude," Christie told 247Sports. "I love his coaching style, I love his personality, they got great players and are in a great conference."


Go Gophers!!
 

Class of 2023 four-star prospect Milan Momcilovic tells On3 he will announce his college decision on Saturday, July 16th at 5:00 PM ET.

Momcilovic talks finalists​

Iowa State: “They have been recruiting me the longest and I have been one of their top priorities. I’m impressed with Coach Otzelberger’s success this past season and making it to the Sweet 16.”

Minnesota: “They had a great campus with impressive facilities. Coach (Ben) Johnson seems to be taking their basketball program in the right direction.”

Virginia: “They have a proven track record of success with their team and their players. Coach (Tony) Bennett really creates a family atmosphere there.”

Michigan State: Legendary coach with a great history of successful teams and players. Coach (Tom) Izzo seems to be really invested in his players.

UCLA: “Legendary program with recent successes as well. Coach (Mick) Cronin has done a great job in a short time.”

Louisville: “They seem to be putting the right pieces together to be successful again. Coach (Kenny) Payne really emphasizes players achieving their goals and how they are going to get there.”

 






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