Way-too-early 2025-26 Gophers men's basketball rotation prediction

The Gophers added Central Arkansas big man Nehemiah Turner from the transfer portal on Wednesday, their seventh addition this offseason. They now have 11 players on their roster for next season, so let's try to predict what the rotation may look like.

Current 2025-26 roster

Backcourt outlook

One of the biggest questions Niko Medved and the Gophers coaching staff must answer is, who will be in the starting backcourt? I would be surprised if Chansey Willis Jr. from Western Michigan isn't in Minnesota's starting lineup to begin the season, which means it would come down to Reynolds from Northern Colorado and Asuma for the second spot.

Reynolds averaged 12.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in his two games against high-major competition last season, while Asuma checked in at 9.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game in his per-40 minute numbers against Big Ten competition.

With another offseason to improve, I think Asuma earns the starting role, but Reynolds's rebounding prowess could give Minnesota the opportunity to play all three players on the floor at the same time in three-guard lineups. If there's one more spot for Medved to add from the portal this offseason, it might be another ball-handler, but I think Kai Shinholster redshirts in 2025-26 either way.

Forward spots

Four of Minnesota's additions from the transfer portal this offseason are between 6-foot-7 and 6-foot-8: Bobby Durkin (Davidson), B.J. Omot (Cal), Jaylen Crocker-Johnson (Colorado State) and Robert Vaihola (San Jose State). Durkin and Omot are closer to guards than they are big men, while Crocker-Johnson and Vaihola are closer to big men than they are small forwards.

Durkin is the second player on this team that I would be stunned if he's not in the starting lineup on night one. At 6-foot-7, he's a knockdown three-point shooter, an impressive rebounder and an underrated facilitator. For argument's sake, let's say he starts at the three and Omot backs him up, as he looks to get his confidence back after missing much of last season due to injury.

Crocker-Johnson is the third and final player currently on the roster that I would be confident locking in as a starter on night one. He's a solid rebounder, versatile defender, underrated shooter, and I think his transition from the Mountain West to the Big Ten should go relatively smoothly. He's the perfect player to help mentor Grayson Grove at the four spot.

Starting big man?

Minnesota probably doesn't have a true center on this roster. Vaihola is listed at 6-foot-8, but I think he has the skills to play the five in Medved's system. He averaged 7.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game last season in the Mountain West. With three years of experience, he's my favorite to start in the middle.

Turner might be the wild card in this equation. At 6-foot-10, he's the tallest player currently on Minnesota's roster. He was dominant down the stretch of the season, averaging 18.5 points in the final 10 games, but it was in the ASUN. The Big Ten is a big step up in competition.

This is a situation where I could see Turner challenging Vaihola for a bigger role as the season goes on, but a freshman making the jump from the ASUN to the Big Ten is rare, even in the modern transfer portal era. Turner has some of the best long-term potential on this roster, but it might not happen day one.

Potential rotation:

• G: Chansey Willis Jr.
• G: Isaac Asuma
• G/F: Bobby Durkin
• F: Jaylen Crocker-Johnson
• C: Robert Vaihola
• 6th: Langston Reynolds
• 7th: B.J. Omot
• 8th: Nehemiah Turner
• 9th: Grayson Grove

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