Today, GI opened the all-time Golden Gopher Basketball Player roster, looking for comparisons to the 13 players expected to make up the Minnesota roster next winter. Who did we compare well to for next year’s team? Check the names now!
*** Mind you, my Gopher basketball head goes back to the late ’80s and some of these players don’t have much to compare, so I really had to reach out (which is why some of the explanations are so comprehensive!)
Battle of Jamison Voshon Lenard’a /Dan Coleman. This was really difficult. I couldn’t find a shooter that was as good and Battle-like in the future, so I went with the Voshon shot stroke – yes I think Battle is that level of shooter – sized Dan Coleman. And even though Dan will be playing three more this year than Dan has played, he was more nervous like Battle. Coleman had a career average of 4.8 boards in Minnesota, and Battle was better than last year, but was also a pure shooter in a Vo-like fashion.
Braeden Carrington To Kevin Burleson or Devoe Joseph. I say Burleson because he and Carrington came to Minnesota as a duo with experience playing one (and the Gophers couldn’t get one when KB was around, he played). But I also think Carrington has in some ways the same level of combo abilities as a Devoe Joseph, but he also has defensive similarities to Burleson. I’m not sure Carrington is the same level scorer as Joseph, but he’s not as far off as people think.
From Ta’Lon Cooper to Eric Harris. Cooper won’t be defensive like Harris and I don’t think he will score 13 points per game as a top player in Minnesota, but Cooper has a similar frame to Harris and is similar in height. Cooper will also take some to pass the initial leadership approach that Cooper did. Will it be Cooper Harris? I think it’s a stretch, but I think it can bring similar team first traits.
Parker Fox To John-Blair Bickerstaff. First of all, Fox was a few inches taller than Bickerstaff and JB was 190 pounds in college. Fox passed that four years ago. But they are/have played the same kind of active, athletic, high-energy, totally explosive team game. Parker is also a vocal leader and JB has definitely been involved in his career as a Gopher and coaching. Bickerstaff has influenced the game in many ways, and we hope Parker will, too.
Dawson Garcia To Rick Rickert. Dawson will rebound better than Rickert’s 5.7 point rebounds and I think he will glide less than we saw with Rickert. But when you look at size, squad, range-facing ability, and finishing around the basket, there are a lot of similarities between these two 6’11 235-pound players. Rickert scored 15.6 points in a game in his best year, and I think Dawson can do better than that because he’s going to shoot better than 44 percent, taking better shots and higher percentage shots.
Jaden Henley with Kevin Payton/Damian Johnson. This was difficult because 6’7 very tall and ball-handling/passing players didn’t come to Minnesota like Henley. Payton sizes are the closest thing as they are similar and both have ball handling and passing skills. The thing about Henley is that his length allows him to be a man. Damian Johnson defender (and athlete-like) (in addition to the Payton-like skilled offensive player).
Isaya you with Paul Carter. Carter was a great framed 6’7 forward averaging six points and four tables per game as a struggling Gopher. After seeing Ihnen, I think he might be similar to Carter in terms of ceiling, how he boards, how he finishes, and if Ihnen’s shot becomes more confident, he could be a better shooter both inside and out.
Josh Ola-Joseph To Maurice Hargrow. Ola-Joseph will be slightly taller and around 25 pounds stronger than Hargrow in college, but explosive athletes of similar tall and length, Ola-Joseph is just bigger, which allows him to defend three points and maybe even play Hargrow three points. will give. played two. The question is whether Ola-Joseph will be Mo’s talented offensive winger, but we know JOJ can do more around the rim.
Pharrel Payne with Daniel Oturu/ John Thomas. John Thomas’s legs, the length of his Seat, and the top of both players combined, according to me Pharrel Payne. He’s just starting to get comfortable with his game as he enters college and loves the weight room, so John Thomas in a big way. But Payne has the shot blocking and paint control potential Oturu has, and he similarly stood up quickly. Your next thought is “both Thomas and Sit are drafted” and yes I think Payne has a serious chance to prepare and continues to mature.
Jackson Purcell’e Stephon Keskin. This comparison arises because Jackson is versatile and, just like Sharp, is comfortable with the ball during a walk. Will Purcell take minutes like Sharp did in a pinch? While Purcell is recovering from an injury, it may one day be.
Will Ramberg to Brent Lawson. Ramberg plays hard, about 6’5 and a free kick, same as Lawson. I’m not saying Ramberg will start out as a veteran like Lawson, but I think they’re playing with a similar mindset.
Taurus Samuels Kevin Nathaniel’e /Maverick Ahanmisi. When it comes to Taurus, he’s a reliable, steady ball-handler, and I think that’s what Maverick has become in his last year. Samuels will be similar in size to Maverick, but defensively, I really like the stable play that the Samuels video shows and makes me think of the shorter Kevin Nathaniel, who started as head guard in 1998-99.
Treyton Thompson To Kyle Sanden. There aren’t many comparisons I can find for the Thompson size and comfortable shooting, so I went with Sanden even though Thompson had better feet than Sanden. Sanden had a great environmental touch and was similar to Treyton in height, so that’s where I went.
