Most improved player?

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Snowman had a comment in an earlier thread that prompted a thought:

Which Gophers player in your memory improved the most from freshman year to senior?

My two intial thoughts were Eric Harris and little A Robinson, but Damian is definitely in the mix. He was completely lost his freshman year.

Maybe Q Lewis too, altho my recollection is that he was wasn't bad as a freshman, just kind of scrawny and didn't get much p.t.
 

A-Rob probably gets the sentimental nod because his is a terrific story, but I'd have to go with Damian. Both Harris and Robinson improved over time but neither achieved the level of accomplishment that Johnson has so far (and what we think he can achieve this year).

And a tip of the hat to ZTA who saw something that a lot of us didn't see in DJ's freshman year. But I'll still stand by my assessment of DJ's freshman year contributions. ...
whistilin.gif
 

DJ is it for me. Many players have gone from Freshmen who did not contribute to important players as their careers went on, but DJ really didn't seem like he belonged on a High Major BBall roster at all his first year. I thought he'd have transferred by now.
 

Yeah, embarrassingly I had higher hopes for Kevin Payton than Damian after their freshman years. Glad to be wrong, and wish DJ the best from here on out...
 

GopherHomer said:
Yeah, embarrassingly I had higher hopes for Kevin Payton than Damian after their freshman years. Glad to be wrong, and wish DJ the best from here on out...
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Ditto that on KP, Homer, I significantly overranked him.

But with regard to DJ, my opinion, and I thought it was ZTA's opinion as well (he can certainly chime to correct me if I misrepresent him), was simply that it was way to early to be judging DJ. I didn't know what would happen, but kids grow and change a lot though college. DJ had the height, the speed/quickness, and desire to play good defense. I always reserve judgement on kids like that, because the other things can be learned.

Its a good thing that the job recruiters who came to campus my senior year didn't pass judgement on me based on who I was as a freshman. I'd have never gotten a job.
 


Aaron Robinson initially came to mind. Two names that haven't been mentioned: Trevor Winter and Jeff Hagen. Now Trevor was never a huge contributor, but I used to dread when he would check in the game. By the 1997 season, I felt like he actually was a really solid player ( he even ended up getting a few games in the NBA). Hagen contributed much more, albeit on weaker teams, and was another big man who seemed to come a long way through his years at the U.
 

GopherHomer said:
Yeah, embarrassingly I had higher hopes for Kevin Payton than Damian after their freshman years. Glad to be wrong, and wish DJ the best from here on out...
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I think a lot of us were in that boat - and I sure admit it when I'm wrong, and I was wrong about KP. He was really hyped, and I want to say he averaged 26 points or per game in HS, so I thought he was a scorer. Everyone surrounding the basketball program always spoke of his potential as well.

DJ would be my vote - he's a guy that went from "is he a D1 player?" to our best player, and an all-around threat. A lot of guys can only score, or only play D, but he does it all and is very consistent as well. Pair that with the leadership roll he's taken on, and staying out of trouble, and he's got my vote.
 

John Thomas? Came in pretty raw...never thought he would be a first round pick after watching his freshman year. Had a nice four year career.
 

Was Johnson that bad as a freshman, or was he just that overlooked as a freshman?

He probably could have contributed his first year if a certain coaching staff could have realized what they had.
 



Some very good names mentioned here. At this point I would have to go with DJ. Hagen was one I really enjoyed watching develop. He really developed some nice post moves. Would be nice if Colton could develop those same post moves.
 


Plinnius said:
This thread makes Dusty Rychart sad.
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Jeff Hagen, came in as more of a project than Rychart.

I also thought Aaron Robinson was pretty good day one. He played alot in the pre big ten schedule his freshman year and then disappeared for three years. After the success he had his senior year I decided that Monson was a complete idiot for not playing him for three years.
 

jovs said:
Jeff Hagen, came in as more of a project than Rychart.
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Didn't Hagen come in as scholarship player? I know Rychart came in as a walk-on... Not trying to be a smartass here, I seriously can't remember Hagens status when he came to the U...
 




Gopherholefan said:
Didn't Hagen come in as scholarship player? I know Rychart came in as a walk-on... Not trying to be a smartass here, I seriously can't remember Hagens status when he came to the U...
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Hagen came on as a walk-on as well.
 

I'll go with A-Rob. People are saying they were wondering if DJ was a D1 guy but Robinson was 5'9", couldn't shoot, wasn't all that quick and just seemed like a D2 player. By his senior year he was a legit 3 point threat and probably the leader of the team
 

A-Rob and Dusty for me. But the most surprising to me was that Miles Tarver ended up as a functional D-I player. All of these guys, including DJ on this year's team, were easy to cheer for because they worked for everything they got.
 

Dusty Rychart went from being a walk-on to a top-20 player in school history. He was, and still is, incredibly underrated as a Gopher.
 

CP Gopher said:
Dusty Rychart went from being a walk-on to a top-20 player in school history. He was, and still is, incredibly underrated as a Gopher.
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his name was dusty and he looked bad playing ball. He'll never be 'properly' rated but I wonder if his place as a top 20 player says more about him or the Minnesota program
 

oleboy41 said:
his name was dusty and he looked bad playing ball. He'll never be 'properly' rated but I wonder if his place as a top 20 player says more about him or the Minnesota program
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I hadn't thought about Hagen and Thomas--both really good choices.

I had thought of Dusty, but didn't include him because by the end of his Freshman year, he was clearly a force. If he had the PT, I think he would have done equally well earlier in the year. He's one of my all time favorite gophers, but to me he didn't improve so much as get recognized for what he could do. He was a walk-on, but IMO far and away the best walk-on we've ever had, and in my mind much better in his freshman year than the other guys that have been mentioned.
 

The answer in my mind is Hosea Crittenden. The fact that he ended up playing meaningful minutes in games his senior year is astounding.
 

My first thought when I read this thread was Hosea as well. He is one on those players that does whatever it takes just to get on the court. I still remember watching games and the Barn just coming alive when he would get up and head to check-in with the clock running out. I really don't remember him doing much at all in his 4 years but he's the kind of player that fans would stay to watch during blowouts. I can still picture the entire student section chanting his name to get Haskins to put him in.
 

Not most improved, but ...

I'll put Brent Lawson's name in for Honorable Mention. I never thought he'd make much contribution and then he cracked the starting line-up his senior year. From all accounts, a decent kid, too.
 

From the Barn said:
Was Johnson that bad as a freshman, or was he just that overlooked as a freshman?

He probably could have contributed his first year if a certain coaching staff could have realized what they had.
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I'm afraid he looked way, way over his head in his freshman year -- which was actually a redshirt-freshman year. Maybe expectations were too high since he'd red-shirted, but he was often out of position both offensively and especially defensively. He made some nice blocks as I recall but just didn't seem to have it together.

I'm not sure how much I'd blame it on coaching but who knows?
 

How could I have forgotten about Dusty - he could be the most improved 4 year player we've ever had. The kid was a walk-on, that ended up being our star, and the heart of the team.

Brent Lawson is another great choice. I thought he'd never see the floor when he got here, and he not only started, but was the captain, and I believe was 2nd or 3rd in the BT in steals. Fantastic defensive players - it's a shame he really only the confidence to shoot in his last 4-6 games. I still think, if he didn't get into foul trouble in our tourney game against, we'd of gone on to the 2nd round. I loved that team, but there just wasn't the depth to have anyone step in and replace him.
 

Dusty gets my vote. I'll never forget what he did against Gonzaga in 1999 in what had to be one of the most difficult games in Gopher history (I'm not old enough to recall the Iron 5, etc.)
 

howeda7 said:
Dusty gets my vote. I'll never forget what he did against Gonzaga in 1999 in what had to be one of the most difficult games in Gopher history (I'm not old enough to recall the Iron 5, etc.)
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I think the case with Dusty was that the coaches finally realized how good he was. The aforementioned 1999 game was in Dusty's redshirt freshman year, and the only reason he got a chance to play then was the suspensions to some of his teammates.

IIRC, Dusty had to beg Clem to even let him walk on. And that was after he was the leading scorer in Minnesota high school basketball that year.

I'm going pick DJ as most improved with Jeff Hagen not far behind.

Special credit goes to Terrance Simmons, who looked so awful as a sophomore after transferring in from LSU.
 

I agree on Dusty. He was way better than anyone could have imagined. He just knew how to play the game and always seemed to be in the right place at the right time.
 

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