It’s been a busy offseason for the Gophers and Ben Johnson. Six players have left through the transfer portal and six players have arrived in Minnesota through the transfer portal. What might your rotation look like next season?
1. Lu’Cye Patterson
2. Isaac Asuma
The loss of Elijah Hawkins to Texas Tech hurt the Gophers’ prospects for 2024-25, but they’ve gotten it done. Lu’Cye Patterson, a native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, returned home, transferring from Charlotte for his final season of college basketball. Averaging 14.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists last season for the 49ers, he will be more of a score-first guard than Hawkins. The only other true point guard on the roster is Asuma, but as a true rookie, his role size could evolve as the season progresses.
1. Mike Mitchell Jr.
2. Brennan Rigsby
3. Caleb Williams
The defensive rotation could be the most intriguing aspect of this team heading into the 2024-25 season. Mike Mitchell Jr. returns and could easily be second on this team in scoring. Behind him, Oregon transfer Brennan Rigsby and D3 Macalester transfer Caleb Williams provide a unique combination of scoring and athleticism. Both players are true combo guards, so it will be fascinating to see how Johnson and his staff choose to deploy them.
1. Femi Odukale
2. Kadyn Betts
3. Grayson Grove
New Mexico State transfer Femi Odukale is another enticing transfer on this list. Last season he averaged 10.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game, so he provides the similar guard skills that Cam Christie had from the three position last season. Redshirt sophomore Kadyn Betts could be a potential breakout candidate, while incoming freshman Grayson Grove could have a similar development curve, potentially redshirting in his first season.
1. Dawson Garcia
2. Parker Fox
Dawson Garcia could be a preseason first-team All-Big Ten player and, given the structure of this roster, could have the best season of his career in 2024-25. How Minnesota chooses to rotate the rest of its frontcourt this season will be the biggest question. Parker Fox will likely be the first man off the bench, but since Garcia will likely play 32+ minutes per game, it will likely be a mix of playing the four and five, as they often looked like their best players last season with both. on the court. .
1. Frank Mitchell
2. Trey Edmonds
Pharrel Payne is now at Texas A&M, so Minnesota added Canisius transfer Frank Mitchell as a possible replacement. Last season he averaged 11.6 rebounds per game, which ranks fourth in the country. Standing at 6-foot-8, he plays a high-motor game similar to Payne. UTSA transfer Trey Edmonds offers a very different skill set. At 6-foot-10, he relies on his length rather than his athleticism and gives the Gophers more versatility in the frontcourt.
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