It has been a busy transfer cycle for Gophers men's basketball with five players coming in from the portal and five more leaving. Four of their significant departures have found new homes, so let's break down all the landing spots.
Willis is heading back to the Mid-American Conference (MAC) after one season with the Gophers. He averaged 16.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game with Western Michigan in 2024-25. Injuries slashed his time with Minnesota down to just seven games. The Golden Flashes are one of the most consistent programs in the MAC, and I would not be shocked to see Willis return to an all-conference level in 2026-27.
Nov 18, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers guard Chansey Willis Jr. (0) works around Chicago State Cougars guard Chauncey Gibson (5) during the first half at Williams Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Vaihola started the first five games of the season for Minnesota before suffering a season-ending injury, and he averaged 5.0 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. He'll be returning to the conference where he played the first three years of his college career. He began playing college hoops at Fresno State before spending two seasons at San Jose State. He's another player who could perform at an all-conference level in 2026-27.
Nov 8, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers forward Robert Vaihola (22) looks to shoot as Alcorn State Braves forward William Henderson (6) defends during the first half at Williams Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Omot had a higher transfer portal rating than Jaylen Crocker-Johnson, Langston Reynolds and Vaihola last season, according to 247Sports. He didn't appear in a single game for the Gophers due to injury. The Mankato, Minnesota native will go back to the mid-major level after spending his first two seasons at North Dakota, his second year at Cal and last season at Minnesota. He's now two seasons removed from being healthy for a full season, but he has the skills to light up the scoreboard in the Big West.
Dec 20, 2023; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; North Dakota Fighting Hawks forward B.J. Omot (20) drives against Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Juwan Gary (4) during the second half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images
Going from the Atlantic Sun to the Big Ten is a big jump in competition, and Turner is heading back to that level after one season at Minnesota. He also dealt with injuries, which limited him to just seven games in 2025-26. He showed tremendous promise as a true freshman at Central Arkansas in 2024-25, and there's plenty of reason to think he could return to the level with Jacksonville in 2026-27.
Dec 22, 2024; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Central Arkansas Bears forward Nehemiah Turner (4) runs into Oklahoma Sooners forward Sam Godwin (10) during the second half at Lloyd Noble Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Stephens is another player who didn't appear in a single game with the Gophers. He began his college career at Loyola Marymount in 2022-23, and then spent the next two seasons at Maryland. He has only played 35 total games across four collegiate seasons, so that will likely factor into his decision or any college team's decision for their 2026-27 plans.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/minnesota as Where Every Gophers Basketball Transfer Has Landed This Offseason .
