Johnson optimistic that Garcia, Christie will return to Gophers

There's optimism at the University of Minnesota that basketball stars Dawson Garcia and Cam Christie will be back with the Golden Gophers next season. 

Garcia, a senior and leading scorer, and Christie, one of the top freshman in the country, could still elect to enter the transfer portal and explore going pro, but Minnesota head coach Ben Johnson said Monday, according to Marcus Fuller of the Star Tribune, that he believes he'll have four starters returning for the 2024-25 season. 

Johnson did reportedly acknowledge that he can't be certain until the transfer portal closes on May 1. Until then, there's a chance teams around the country could try to make Garcia and Christie offers they can't refuse. 

Elijah Hawkins has said he'll be back and Mike Mitchell Jr's father told Fuller that he'll be back next season. If Garcia and Christie return, the only 2023-24 starter that won't return is big man Pharrel Payne, who entered the transfer portal last week. 

Fuller is also reporting that Parker Fox, who is eligible for another medical redshirt season after twice tearing ligaments in his knees, could also return. As he put it, the Gophers "are working on getting him back for another season."