Dennis Evans: Generational Rim Protector, 2023 Recruiting Class -- Minnesota Gophers Basketball

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"The Minnesota Golden Gophers have struck gold with their incoming big man recruit, Dennis Evans. Evans is the 27th ranked player in the country according to 24/7 sports, making him the Golden Gophers highest ranked recruit since Royce White who was ranked 26th in 2009. Evans has turned heads this summer as the nation’s premier rim protection prospect (a generational one) and for good reason! He is 7’0” with a 7’7” wingspan!" --NotZay Basketball Analysis

"Overall I think Dennis Evans is a top five pick in 2024 [NBA draft]. Even if he does not declare for that draft class he will be an elite drop big in college and the NBA level, and I really appreciate his family's dedication to his development and I think it bodes for him well long-term." --NotZay Basketball Analysis


 

Cool write up. I’m not familiar with NotZay Basketball Analysis.
 


He looks much more raw offensively that what I was told…(think Gaston raw). I was also surprised when watching the analysis that they mentioned he wasn’t super mobile…that caught me off guard. On many of these clips it looks like he is coming down with his hands for a block, I believe he’ll need to work on remaining vertical and absorbing contact while still effecting shots.

The big question will be can his slender frame handle the banger of the beef in the big ten without getting in foul trouble. Since he isn’t on the shoe circuit, he doesn’t see top talent now…the B10 will be a massive step up in competition (similar to what Henley is going through this year).
 
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Wet_Blanket_Guy said:
He looks much more raw offensively that what I was told…(think Gaston raw). I was also surprised when watching the analysis that they mentioned he wasn’t super mobile…that caught me off guard. On many of these clips it looks like he is coming down with his hands for a block, I believe he’ll need to work on remaining vertical and absorbing contact while still effecting shots.

The big question will be can his slender frame handle the banger of the beef in the big ten without getting in foul trouble. Since he isn’t on the show circuit, he doesn’t see top talent now…the B10 will be a massive step up in competition (similar to what Henley is going through this year).
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Didn’t Evans play for team USA?
 




Wet_Blanket_Guy said:
It looks like he did. I went to the Team USA site- here is a link:

https://www.fiba.basketball/world/u17/2022/game/1007/Spain-USA#tab=boxscore

Looks like he played 42 seconds against Spain in the FIBA U17 gold medal game in July 2022 (you can rewatch the game if you click on the link)

His averages:
View attachment 22879
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I meant more from a practice and competition standpoint. Not stats from a specific game. Obviously he dominated many good players to even be chosen
 

UpAndUnder43 said:
I meant more from a practice and competition standpoint. Not stats from a specific game. Obviously he dominated many good players to even be chosen
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Wasn’t making a statement either way. But from the stats he still got a block every 5 min, pretty good
 




Dennis, in this video is much improved compared to the video I saw earlier. I can definitely see him helping next year. Like the guy said...there are definitely some offensive flashes that are wow! But not a bunch....but they are there.
Pretty exciting, pretty encouraging.
Still, comes down to Christie, is he Carrington so far or somebody talked about as All Big Ten?
Another words is he our best young player of the 7 high schoolers? If not, we are going to improve slowly as a team.
Also, anxious to see how Payne (Can only post up, can't shoot) and Evans are able to play together and Ola Joseph (can only get garbage buckets around the hoop-not a threat to shoot)....somebody has to score. Maybe Evans plays away from the hoop on offense? Maybe we play zone...just about all our players are absolutely best suited to be in a zone.
 

60's Guy said:
Dennis, in this video is much improved compared to the video I saw earlier. I can definitely see him helping next year. Like the guy said...there are definitely some offensive flashes that are wow! But not a bunch....but they are there.
Pretty exciting, pretty encouraging.
Still, comes down to Christie, is he Carrington so far or somebody talked about as All Big Ten?
Another words is he our best young player of the 7 high schoolers? If not, we are going to improve slowly as a team.
Also, anxious to see how Payne (Can only post up, can't shoot) and Evans are able to play together and Ola Joseph (can only get garbage buckets around the hoop-not a threat to shoot)....somebody has to score. Maybe Evans plays away from the hoop on offense? Maybe we play zone...just about all our players are absolutely best suited to be in a zone.
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Christie may be a really good player but not many freshman are all big ten level—especially at Minnesota. Maybe he changes that.
 

"Minnesota's men's and women's basketball programs aren't having much success now, but both have reasons to be optimistic heading into the new year....

With Braeden Carrington, Pharrel Payne and Treyton Thompson all getting valuable experience, the addition of four-star recruits Dennis Evans and Cameron Christie should make them an improved team next season..."


www.si.com

10 things Minnesota sports fans should be excited about in 2023 - Sports Illustrated Minnesota Sports, News, Analysis, and More

Depending on the sport you watch, 2022 was either an exciting or disappointing year. Whether your team made a random run to the top of their sport or fell short of expectations, Minnesota sports definitely weren't boring.
www.si.com www.si.com
 




Bad Gopher said:


This has got to be about as highly rated as you can be on 247 without being classified as five stars.
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Looks like they have 15 5* guys this year. I would guess it varies year to year, last year looks like they had 25 5* kids.
 

Two 3.5 minute videos of Dennis Evans playing this week.





Evans is more than a dominating rim protector. Just watch. His offense game will continue to improve. A very special player. He's so tall!

I am excited for Ben Johnson and staff work with him in Minnesota.
 

Bad Gopher said:
This has got to be about as highly rated as you can be on 247 without being classified as five stars.
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Rivals has been around longer than 24/7. They have Evans #13...which is 5-star of course. 5-star has always been around 25 guys per class (23 at the moment for this class).
 


his arms are so freakishly long! cant wait to see him in action next year!
 

Dennis Evans is a 5 star by Rivals and a 4 star by 247Sports.

He's a dominating rim protector. His stock has been climbing as we see his offense game emerge.

ESPN rankings may be the most cited but had many big misses for both men's and women's rankings that jumped out at me.

Rivals
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247Sports

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I think the key dynamic with Evans is we've been seeing him score from various positions.

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Fade
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To my eye, he seems to distribute the ball well for a rim protector. Wouldn't that be nice to have a super tall guy with long arms passing the ball off, a center with some point guard feeding. He's definitely not just a defender+ that got him his 4 stars. 5 star legit? You decide.


247Sports -- Dennis Evans the biggest surprise left off McDonald's All American roster. Voting member of the McDonald's All American roster raves about how the talent Dennis Evans:

"The name that really jumps out to me [as the biggest snub] is Dennis Evans... I really do see a guy who's eventually going to end up in the NBA. A guy I would have really liked to see in the McDonald's All-American game because of his rim protection, because of his emerging skill abilities to step out and hit shots, at 7' 1", and I just think it would be fun to have a guy in there who kind of bucks the system. He didn't play for big shoe company team. He didn't go to all these camps and stuff like that."




Coach Ben Johnson is a great coach. He hasn't proven himself to be a great basketball mind like Tubby Smith but he's taking this team to great places -- and yes good game coaching these last few games working with YOUNG players they schemed around, fiddling here and there, and it takes some time to coach them to what they want them to execute. Ridiculous that some expected Payne and Ola-Joseph to play wow all the time from day one.


-Great coaching by Ben Johnson in the Indiana game, Star Tribune.

-Michigan and Ohio State were really good, team taking shape, my view.

-Coach Johnson still trying to set the tone, Star Tribune -- AKA they are not executing yet what he is coaching them.

-Ben Johnson (earlier this season) still trying to figure out how to best deploy/scheme with his new recruits, Star Tribune.

gopherhole.com

Tubby Smith on Minnesota: "It may be the first or second toughest job in the Big Ten." - GopherHole.com

The Minnesota Gophers basketball team went on the road for the first time this year as they participated in the SoCal Challenge in Southern California right before Thanksgiving. Another team that was in the tournament was High Point University. High Point is coached by Tubby Smith’s son, G.G...
gopherhole.com gopherhole.com

-Future looks bright and taking shape, my view.

-I'm pulling for Henley and Carrington at wing/SG -- maybe the pivotal position, uncertainty for future success.

-Dennis Evans is an NBA-bound beast. TRUTH.

Dunk
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Block
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www.startribune.com

Gophers 7-foot recruit Dennis Evans gets triple-double in front of Ben Johnson in Vegas

The five-star center from California returned to the court after missing three games out sick earlier this month.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com
 
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When do they announce jordan brand classic or Nike hoops summit rosters?
 

Bfan said:
247Sports

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I have fond memories of how many games we won with the top 2 recruits
 


MNJay said:
Rivals has been around longer than 24/7. They have Evans #13...which is 5-star of course. 5-star has always been around 25 guys per class (23 at the moment for this class).
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Most of talent at rivals like Eric bissi is at 247 now
 

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