Wasn’t it cute when a couple weeks ago I was typing about how important it would be to keep this Gopher roster together? How this team would be a likely NCAA Tournament team and next year could be a lot of fun?
Well, that dream of reaching the tournament may still come true, but it will be a a very different roster.
The lure of riches and playing-time and glory of the Transfer Portal has struck the Gophers and their core of players is rapidly dwindling. If the Gophers had a core of 8 key players, half of them are now extremely unlikely to return in the fall of 2024.
- Parker Fox - has a year of eligibility remaining, but has walked with seniors and has indicated he will not be playing next year.
- Josh Ola-Joseph - has announced his intent to transfer after seeing his playing time dwindle throughout his sophom*ore season.
- Pharrel Payne - your starting center who has announced that he is entering the transfer portal.
- Braeden Carrington - the third member of the 2022 class that is entering the transfer portal.
Coach Ben Johnson also may lose Cam Christie to the NBA. Dawson Garcia is rumored to be considering transferring or testing the NBA as well. That leaves Mike Mitchell and Elijah Hawkins, and nobody really knows what they are leaning towards doing.
So for the 2nd time in 3 seasons, the Gophers might be facing near 100% roster turnover.
Is this an article about how the transfer portal, NIL and not requiring players to sit out a year for transferring is ruining college basketball?
No, but it could be.
The fact is, this is the current landscape of college basketball. There is and will continue to be chaos. We are not immune, but we are also not the only ones dealing with it.
Wisconsin has seen their best player, AJ Storr, announce his intent to transfer, along with their sophom*ore reserve shooting guard, Connor Essegian and a few others. Iowa’s 2nd leading scorer, Tony Perkins, is in the portal with 1 season to play after spending 4 in Iowa City.
Having 100% roster free agency on an annual basis is a problem for everybody. A year ago, Ben Johnson was able to hold his roster together, this year he has not been so lucky.
But this is the current landscape. Rather than shake our fists at the sky, complaining how this was not how it was back in my day, bemoaning entitlement and questioning the loyalties of 19-year-old kids; we have to look forward. This is how it is, this is what Johnson and staff have to figure out and try to have some sort of sustainable success.
The most obvious answer is that the team needs to hit the portal hard and be successful. Frankly, it would seem like Johnson and staff have done a nice job of bringing in the right guys. Jameson Battle, Luke Loewe, Garcia, Hawkins and Mitchell were all really nice additions through the portal. Once again, there are a number of open roster spots and opportunities for playing time. The staff needs to find the right guys again.
But don’t forget about recruiting, this is still important (see Cam Christie). The Gophers have a season of unexpected success. A team that was picked to finished last in the Big Ten, managed to get to 9-wins and win an NIT game on the road. Ben Johnson HAS TO turn that into some recruiting wins.
For now, the team needs a starting center and then 3 bench players. The good news is that they have the scholarships to do so. The bad news is that 4 new guys is a lot...and there are likely more transfers pending.
Now he can sell to recruits that what he’s doing is working. That talent is needed and kids aren’t coming here just wishing and hoping that they get to have some success in the Big Ten. This 2025 recruiting class is going to be so vitally important.
I don’t envy the job of managing significant roster turnover year after year. But that is the job in today’s college basketball landscape. Until the Gophers have a boatload of money to spend on keeping (or acquiring) players, this is the reality. You need to bring in good recruiting classes with guys who will stay for at least a couple of seasons. And then you have to do a great job of selecting the right guys in the portal.
If you want to help, feel free to contribute to Dinkeytown Athletes. It is at least a little encouraging that you can legally contribute to trying to keep Gopher athletes in maroon and gold.
