BleedGopher
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 11, 2008
- Messages
- 62,739
- Reaction score
- 20,085
- Points
- 113
per Marcus:
Daniel Oturu was hadn't turned 5 years old yet when Gophers forward Kris Humphries was chosen by the Jazz with the 14th pick of the 2004 NBA draft.
More than 16 years later, Oturu is all grown up as a promising 6-10, 240-pound prospect — and he is expected to hear his name called Wednesday night, which would end the Gophers’ drought of not having a player drafted since Humphries.
The former Cretin-Derham Hall star, who averaged 20.3 points and 11.1 rebounds as a Gophers sophomore last season, realizes the significance of not only achieving his dream of becoming an NBA draft pick but also proving that you can stay home to do it.
“You don’t really have to go anywhere else,” Oturu said. “You can stay home and play for the home state program, you can be great. There are a lot of opportunities here. Growing up in Minnesota, I would never have passed this up.”
In the past 10 years, the Gophers and Northwestern are the only two Big Ten teams without a player selected in the NBA draft. On the other end of the spectrum is Michigan with 12. Michigan State and Maryland both have eight draft picks each.
www.startribune.com
Go Gophers!!
Daniel Oturu was hadn't turned 5 years old yet when Gophers forward Kris Humphries was chosen by the Jazz with the 14th pick of the 2004 NBA draft.
More than 16 years later, Oturu is all grown up as a promising 6-10, 240-pound prospect — and he is expected to hear his name called Wednesday night, which would end the Gophers’ drought of not having a player drafted since Humphries.
The former Cretin-Derham Hall star, who averaged 20.3 points and 11.1 rebounds as a Gophers sophomore last season, realizes the significance of not only achieving his dream of becoming an NBA draft pick but also proving that you can stay home to do it.
“You don’t really have to go anywhere else,” Oturu said. “You can stay home and play for the home state program, you can be great. There are a lot of opportunities here. Growing up in Minnesota, I would never have passed this up.”
In the past 10 years, the Gophers and Northwestern are the only two Big Ten teams without a player selected in the NBA draft. On the other end of the spectrum is Michigan with 12. Michigan State and Maryland both have eight draft picks each.

Daniel Oturu should become first Gophers basketball player drafted since 2004
In the past 10 years, the Gophers and Northwestern are the only two Big Ten teams without a player selected in the NBA draft.
Go Gophers!!