Recruiting Minnesota talent will remain a priority for the Gophers men’s basketball program under new coach Niko Medved, who saw the state turning into a hoops power while he was growing up. “I just watched Minnesota high school basketball be transformed,

The gravitation toward the Gophers for Niko Medved began even before he was born. That's when his father bought the season tickets that would soon spark his young son’s passion for college basketball.

The university fired previous coach Ben Johnson following a disappointing 15-17 season that ended with a first-round exit in the Big Ten Tournament. Johnson, a Minneapolis native and former Gophers player, had two seasons left on his contract, requiring a $2.92 million buyout. His $1.95 million annual salary was the lowest in the conference.