The Gophers have been participating in summer practice for a few weeks now, and Niko Medved finally spoke to the local media on Wednesday. His team added nine new players in the offseason, and it sounds like he might've found his preferred frontcourt for next season.
Injuries forced Jaylen Crocker-Johnson to play a new role as Minnesota's starting center for the majority of the season. He averaged 13.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game before an injury cut his season short. He now returns to the Gophers for another season, and he has legit all-conference potential.
"We were able to get him cleared for the spring, so I think he had a really good spring, just kind of trying to improve his skill level, get stronger. I think for him, he had to play so many minutes at our P-spot, or kind of a more undersized five, and I think he'll be able to play, obviously, a lot more minutes this year, back kind of at a forward position for us, which he did at Colorado State," Medved said on Wednesday.
"It doesn't mean that he'll never play a small-ball (five), cause he was effective at times. But I think it will kind of allow him to kind of create some things for us that is a little more natural for him."
Grayson Grove is the only other big man returning to the Gophers, but they went out and added Michigan transfer Malick Kordel and incoming freshman Chadrack Mpoyi. Kordel's 7-foot-2 size is something that Minnesota badly missed in the Big Ten last season. It sure sounds like Minnesota wants Crocker-Johnson to play power forward, so who will start alongside him in the frontcourt?
Kordel comes to the Twin Cities as a bit of an unknown. The Oberhausen, Germany, native has been playing organized basketball for five years, and he played just 14 games in his first college season with Michigan. The 22-year-old big man still has immense potential.
"He's huge. I think Minnesota fans would appreciate - I mean, I'd love to see him and Rudy Gobert stand next to each other cause I swear that I don't know that there's much difference in size that way. He's just a great young man. He's got a great spirit about him, great smile. He has really only played organized basketball for five years," Medved said.
"For somebody his size, he's really fluid, he has got really good hands, he can run, not afraid to play physical. He just needs experience. He just need to play, and keep getting better. He has been able to just in a practice setting, in a short time, kind of add a dimension that we haven't had here."
Kordel reportedly turned heads at practice on Wednesday, and it sure sounds like Medved has liked what he's seen from the Gophers' new big man. The Gophers have plenty of options with the starting lineup, but it sounds like they prefer Crocker-Johnson to play the four, and Kordel would presumably be the ideal center to play alongside him.
Isaac Asuma and Kyan Evans are nearly a lock to be Minnesota's starting backcourt alongside Bobby Durkin on the wing. They could potentially roll with a small lineup with Crocker-Johnson at the five and a player like Winters Grady as another wing, but it sounds like they want a true center.
It's still the middle of the summer, so there's a lot that can happen before Minnesota's season opener, but it sure sounds like Crocker-Johnson and Kordel could be the starting frontcourt to start year two of the Medved era.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/minnesota as Niko Medved May Have Revealed Gophers' Preferred Frontcourt for 2026-27 .
