Big Ten X-Factors: One Player Who Could Swing Every Team’s Season (MN: Isaac Asuma, Sophomore, Guard)

[BleedGopher]

Per Antonio:

Minnesota​

Isaac Asuma, Sophomore, Guard​

Asuma made the most of his minutes last year in 32 games with the Golden Gophers. In his freshman year he logged 5.6 points per match on 43.7% shooting. With almost an entirely new team in Head Coach Niko Medved's first season, Asuma stayed loyal to the school that gave him a chance during their coaching shift. Asuma is expected to have a larger role in his sophomore campaign, gaining more trust, taking more shots and seeking to be the team's leader meaning a breakout season is well in play for the homegrown talent. With a leap forward this year, Isaac can help bring this team from the ground up as they eye their first tournament bid since 2019.

Big Ten X-Factors: One Player Who Could Swing Every Team’s Season

One X-factor for every Big Ten team in 2025-26, highlighting the player most likely to swing each program’s season with role, fit, and impact explained.

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Go Gophers!!

 

[Bad Gopher]

I remarked to my fellows last night that Asuma was making some tough plays and making them look easy. He was very smooth. He continues to have all-conference potential.

 

[topos]

Niko has done no wrong, and it's been fun thus far, but I'm going to criticize him regardless with a hot take.

Hot Take: Asuma should not be starting at the SG. He doesn't look to score nearly enough (I wish he would)! Let him run the PG with the second unit and start Reynolds, who's looking to get to the bucket.

I can't wait until Asuma actually thinks of himself as a scorer because the guy is so freaking smooth, and as Bad Gopher remarked, he has all-conference potential written all over him.

 

[FinnGopher]

I remarked to my fellows last night that Asuma was making some tough plays and making them look easy. He was very smooth. He continues to have all-conference potential.

I noted that Isaac was wearing a back brace when he was on the bench. Hopefully the back is not a chronic injury as I don't think we have actually seen what he is truly capable of doing on the court this season (including exhibition games).

 

[TwistingMyMelon]

Hot Take: Asuma should not be starting at the SG. He doesn't look to score nearly enough (I wish he would)! Let him run the PG with the second unit and start Reynolds, who's looking to get to the bucket.

Reynolds played more minutes than Asuma last night. Only Tyson played more minutes than Reynolds.

 

[Slim Tubby]

Reynolds played more minutes than Asuma last night. Only Tyson played more minutes than Reynolds.

I couldn't watch the game but Reynolds sure filled up the stats sheet. What position best suits his skill set for those of you that watched him last night?

 

[Beerculees]

I don't know why but Isaac reminds me quite a bit of Jordan Taylor. He is a little bigger and Jordan developed into a more consistent scorer but I think its just that they are both solid facilitators and always seem collected.

 

[TwistingMyMelon]

I couldn't watch the game but Reynolds sure filled up the stats sheet. What position best suits his skill set for those of you that watched him last night?

I didn't watch the game either but I agree that he looks like a stat stuffer from the box score.

 

[march madness]

Isaac Asuma had a crazy good freshmen and sophmore year in high school. By his JR and SR year he shifted some of his scoring numbers to setting up his teammates as his assist went from 5.8 to 8.2. His scoring dropped from 25 and 27ppg, to 20 and then just 18 his SR year.

He became too unselfish for most who watched Cherry, those final two years. Sometimes passing out of a double to a less good player who will likely miss a shot, isn't the right play, sometimes when you're the best player, you beat two players and take the shot. I call it KG syndrome.

Isaac has one of those nice guy personalities that Niko may require him to be more aggressive or he will have to sit him to get the message across. Coincidently, Willis hasn't been half as aggressive as he was in the MAC. For this team to reach its potential they both will need to take over.

Reynolds doesn't seem to need encouragement to get aggressive. Easily one of the top 5 players, but because of only having 3 guards, someone has to come in off the bench, and it's nice to have a scorer there.

 

[Gopheritnow]

Isaac Asuma had a crazy good freshmen and sophmore year in high school. By his JR and SR year he shifted some of his scoring numbers to setting up his teammates as his assist went from 5.8 to 8.2. His scoring dropped from 25 and 27ppg, to 20 and then just 18 his SR year.

He became too unselfish for most who watched Cherry, those final two years. Sometimes passing out of a double to a less good player who will likely miss a shot, isn't the right play, sometimes when you're the best player, you beat two players and take the shot. I call it KG syndrome.

Isaac has one of those nice guy personalities that Niko may require him to be more aggressive or he will have to sit him to get the message across. Coincidently, Willis hasn't been half as aggressive as he was in the MAC. For this team to reach its potential they both will need to take over.

Reynolds doesn't seem to need encouragement to get aggressive. Easily one of the top 5 players, but because of only having 3 guards, someone has to come in off the bench, and it's nice to have a scorer there.

A lot to agree on here….. I only saw him play in the tourney and my first thought was this kid can play but really needs to be more aggressive on the offensive end! His game appears effortless, he practically glides, but he needs to shoot more. He is that rare individual. A talented scorer, who almost refuses to shoot!

 

[Spaulding!No!]

I don't know why but Isaac reminds me quite a bit of Jordan Taylor. He is a little bigger and Jordan developed into a more consistent scorer but I think its just that they are both solid facilitators and always seem collected.

I see more Rick Barry.

 

[Bordergopher]

I couldn't watch the game but Reynolds sure filled up the stats sheet. What position best suits his skill set for those of you that watched him last night?

I was at the game, yet I’m still a bit puzzled about what position best suits Reynolds. He did not come off as being confident with his outside shot, but he was aggressive as heck taking the ball in the lane. Nice to see. Seems really tough. I hope some of that rubs off on Asuma. I left a bit concerned about getting threes from our trio of guards. Ball handling, however, looked great.

 

[Slim Tubby]

I was at the game, yet I’m still a bit puzzled about what position best suits Reynolds. He did not come off as being confident with his outside shot, but he was aggressive as heck taking the ball in the lane. Nice to see. Seems really tough. I hope some of that rubs off on Asuma. I left a bit concerned about getting threes from our trio of guards. Ball handling, however, looked great.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[march madness]

Thanks for the feedback!

I was at the game, yet I’m still a bit puzzled about what position best suits Reynolds. He did not come off as being confident with his outside shot, but he was aggressive as heck taking the ball in the lane. Nice to see. Seems really tough. I hope some of that rubs off on Asuma. I left a bit concerned about getting threes from our trio of guards. Ball handling, however, looked great.

Reynolds and Willis were scorers, not shooters, before coming here. Willis at 28%, while Renolds shot 41% on a limited 1 per game last year, his two previous years were 18% and 21%.

Asuma is a shooter when his feet are set. With our best shooters being the two forwards Tyson and Durkin, maybe they do some inverse offense like the Badgers have done. I believe all three guards could post up smaller skinnier players, especially Reynolds.

Reynolds best spot is the two or three, he cannot play the three very often with us only having 3 real guards. Which is why I think playing him starters minutes off the bench is better than him starting with Willis. Neither are likely good 3pt shooters. Reynolds can get you points off your bench. I definitely see B1G teams daring those two to shoot until they can make some. They will need to take and hit some.

I hope Niko can rein in some of the jacking up of three's that previous gopher teams have done. They seemed to lack the awareness that hey these teams are leaving you open for a reason! Basically, everyone on last year's roster, save Garcia and Asuma.

A note for the future, 2026 recruit Tomes is a shooter and scorer, as is SF Anderson. Center Mpoyi has the size and strength this team needs. I love that the recruits make sense to team needs.

 

[topos]

Reynolds and Willis were scorers, not shooters, before coming here. Willis at 28%, while Renolds shot 41% on a limited 1 per game last year, his two previous years were 18% and 21%.

Asuma is a shooter when his feet are set. With our best shooters being the two forwards Tyson and Durkin, maybe they do some inverse offense like the Badgers have done. I believe all three guards could post up smaller skinnier players, especially Reynolds.

Reynolds best spot is the two or three, he cannot play the three very often with us only having 3 real guards. Which is why I think playing him starters minutes off the bench is better than him starting with Willis. Neither are likely good 3pt shooters. Reynolds can get you points off your bench. I definitely see B1G teams daring those two to shoot until they can make some. They will need to take and hit some.

I hope Niko can rein in some of the jacking up of three's that previous gopher teams have done. They seemed to lack the awareness that hey these teams are leaving you open for a reason! Basically, everyone on last year's roster, save Garcia and Asuma.

A note for the future, 2026 recruit Tomes is a shooter and scorer, as is SF Anderson. Center Mpoyi has the size and strength this team needs. I love that the recruits make sense to team needs.

Great Post.

I can almost say with certainty that this will not be an issue. The shot selection was maddening on past teams; it literally felt worse than a turnover at times.

And great point about Reynolds. Hadn't thought about Willis being a bit of a liability from 3.

 

[Slim Tubby]

Reynolds and Willis were scorers, not shooters, before coming here. Willis at 28%, while Renolds shot 41% on a limited 1 per game last year, his two previous years were 18% and 21%.

Asuma is a shooter when his feet are set. With our best shooters being the two forwards Tyson and Durkin, maybe they do some inverse offense like the Badgers have done. I believe all three guards could post up smaller skinnier players, especially Reynolds.

Reynolds best spot is the two or three, he cannot play the three very often with us only having 3 real guards. Which is why I think playing him starters minutes off the bench is better than him starting with Willis. Neither are likely good 3pt shooters. Reynolds can get you points off your bench. I definitely see B1G teams daring those two to shoot until they can make some. They will need to take and hit some.

I hope Niko can rein in some of the jacking up of three's that previous gopher teams have done. They seemed to lack the awareness that hey these teams are leaving you open for a reason! Basically, everyone on last year's roster, save Garcia and Asuma.

A note for the future, 2026 recruit Tomes is a shooter and scorer, as is SF Anderson. Center Mpoyi has the size and strength this team needs. I love that the recruits make sense to team needs.

Now THIS is what I come here for!