BleedGopher
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Per Marcus:
Gophers coach Ben Johnson doesn’t always feel the need to have a soapbox moment on the transfer portal, but he does when it finally seems like it could work in his favor.
The Gophers thought right after last season they might return their starting five from a 19-win NIT team, but bigger NIL opportunities elsewhere made sure that didn’t happen.
The NBA came calling for freshman guard Cam Christie, which the Gophers saw as a potential superstar this year alongside All-Big Ten senior forward Dawson Garcia.
The reality is that no college coach can anticipate having players past the current season, so that’s how Johnson approached adding transfers. As the Gophers opened official practice this week, he had 10 seniors on his roster, including seven transfers.
The Gophers have the sixth-most experienced team in Division I hoops and second among power conference teams for the 2024-25 season, according to Bart Torvik’s advanced stats.
“If financially you can’t afford the best of the best and just go pluck another NBA-type talent,” Johnson said, “then you got to think the next best thing that wins besides just talent in college basketball is experience — being older.”
Johnson wanted to get older. He also wanted his Gophers to have a sense of urgency to win now.
“Who has urgency? Guys who have one less year,” he said. “Now as a coach, selfishly you know I don’t have to worry. They ain’t coming back. I don’t have to worry about them going into the portal. They’re done. There’s urgency now. They’re going to be all in, and invested.”
www.startribune.com
Go Gophers!!
Gophers coach Ben Johnson doesn’t always feel the need to have a soapbox moment on the transfer portal, but he does when it finally seems like it could work in his favor.
The Gophers thought right after last season they might return their starting five from a 19-win NIT team, but bigger NIL opportunities elsewhere made sure that didn’t happen.
The NBA came calling for freshman guard Cam Christie, which the Gophers saw as a potential superstar this year alongside All-Big Ten senior forward Dawson Garcia.
The reality is that no college coach can anticipate having players past the current season, so that’s how Johnson approached adding transfers. As the Gophers opened official practice this week, he had 10 seniors on his roster, including seven transfers.
The Gophers have the sixth-most experienced team in Division I hoops and second among power conference teams for the 2024-25 season, according to Bart Torvik’s advanced stats.
“If financially you can’t afford the best of the best and just go pluck another NBA-type talent,” Johnson said, “then you got to think the next best thing that wins besides just talent in college basketball is experience — being older.”
Johnson wanted to get older. He also wanted his Gophers to have a sense of urgency to win now.
“Who has urgency? Guys who have one less year,” he said. “Now as a coach, selfishly you know I don’t have to worry. They ain’t coming back. I don’t have to worry about them going into the portal. They’re done. There’s urgency now. They’re going to be all in, and invested.”
How Gophers coach Ben Johnson changed his recruiting approach after last spring's transfer portal exodus
The Gophers men’s basketball team is loaded with older players after coach Ben Johnson changed course and put a premium on finding college experience.
www.startribune.com
Go Gophers!!