Tag: Hoops

Minnesota’s growing reputation as a hotbed for high school hoops will be on full display again during the 2025-26 college season as nearly 200 Minnesota natives will suit up for Division 1 programs, including almost 60 at high major schools. This would have been unheard of as little as 10 years ago. With the season officially kicking off this week, here’s a look at some of the top Minnesotans to watch as well as key freshmen hoping to make their mark at the collegiate level.

Men

Terrence Brown – Utah (Columbia Heights) – one of the great, feel-good stories in college hoops. Undersized and overlooked in high school, without a single Division 1 offer, Brown kept the faith and played one year at Golden State Prep before earning a scholarship to Farleigh Dickinson University (FDU). He had an outstanding career at FDU, including this past year when he finished in the top 10 nationally in scoring, earned 1st team All-NEC honors and was named the league’s Most Improved Player. Has transferred to Utah and should be a primary scoring option for the Utes.

Pharrel Payne – Maryland (Park of Cottage Grove) – former Gopher standout is back in the Big Ten after spending last season at Texas A&M. He averaged 10.4 ppg and 5.1 rpg for the Aggies and elevated his game in the postseason when he averaged 25.5 ppg and 7.5 rpg in two NCAA tournament games. This could be a sign of things to come for the newest Terrapin.

Jackson McAndrew – Creighton (Wayzata) – named to the All-Freshman Team in the Big East last season after setting a Creighton freshman record for 3-pointers made in a season with 69. This sweet-shooting big man was named to the preseason All-Big East Third Team and is poised for a breakout year that could see him shooting (no pun intended) up NBA draft boards.

Tre Holloman – North Carolina State (Cretin-Derham Hall) – after averaging 9.1 ppg and 3.7 apg and serving as a co-captain for Michigan State last season, Holloman has transferred to NC State for his senior year.

Nolan Winter – Wisconsin (Lakeville North) – averaged 9.5 ppg and a team best 5.8 rpg for the Badgers last season. With the departure of fellow Minnesotan, Steven Crowl, look for Winter to have an expanded role this winter (again no pun intended). He is the latest in a long line of Wisconsin “bigs” who can spread the floor with their outstanding perimeter shooting.

J’Vonne Hadley – Louisville (Cretin-Derham Hall) – in his 6th season of college basketball, brings a wealth of experience to the Cardinals. The 6’7 wing averaged 12.2 ppg and a team high 7.3 rpg last season and was named to the preseason All-ACC Honorable Mention list.

Cameron Carr – Baylor (Link Academy – Eden Prairie) – originally from Eden Prairie but played his high school basketball at Link Academy in Missouri. His high school team won the Geico Nationals and was ranked the #1 team in the country by ESPN. The former 4-star recruit spent 2 seasons at Tennessee before transferring to Baylor. He is off to a great start, averaging 19 ppg in the Bears two exhibition contests.

Camden Heide– Texas (Wasatch Academy – Wayzata) – helped lead Wayzata to a state championship as a junior then transferred to Wasatch Academy in Utah to complete his high school career. Spent 3 seasons at Purdue where he was a part-time starter who was an athletic defender and reliable outside shooter.

Isaac Asuma – Minnesota (Cherry) – one of just 2 returning players for the Gophers. Will be asked to shoulder a much bigger burden this year. He could very easily double his totals from his freshman season of 5.6 ppg and 2.9 rpg.

Isaiah Johnson-Arigu – St. Thomas (Totino-Grace) – former 4-star recruit who had brief stops at the University of Miami and the University of Iowa before returning home to join the Tommies. Look for a breakout season for Johnson-Arigu. He’s an athletic, 6’7 wing who could provide St. Thomas with the edge they need to secure the school’s first NCAA tournament berth at the D1 level.

Freshmen – 5 to Keep an Eye On

Chase Thompson – Clemson (Alexandria)

Nolan Groves – Texas Tech (Orono)

Tyler Wagner – Austin Peay (Champlin Park)

Jalen Wilson – Northern Iowa (Benilde-St. Margaret’s)

Marley Curtis – UND (St. Louis Park)

Women

Sunaja “Nunu” Agara – Stanford (Hopkins) – named to the preseason All-ACC Team after earning 2nd team all-conference honors last year when she led the Cardinal in scoring (15.8 ppg) and rebounding (7.6). Is one of just 50 players (including 2 others from Minnesota… read on) to be named to the preseason watch list for the Naismith National Player of the Year Award. Has also been named to the preseason watch list for the Katrina McClain Award that recognizes the top power forward in the country.

Kierra Wheeler – West Virginia (Robbinsdale Cooper) – after an outstanding career at Norfolk State, Wheeler will spend her graduate season with the Mountaineers. Last season she averaged 15.6 ppg, 9.0 rpg, and 2.3 blocks per game, which ranked 9th in the country. She was All-MEAC 1st team and was named the Most Outstanding Player in the MEAC Conference Tournament.

Olivia Olson – Michigan (Benilde-St. Margaret’s) – named to the preseason All-Big Ten team after a brilliant freshman season for the Wolverines. Set a Michigan freshman scoring record while earning 2nd team All-Big Ten honors and being named the Co-Freshman of the Year in the conference. Olson is on the preseason watch list for the Naismith National Player of the Year Award as well as the Cheryl Miller Award that recognizes the nation’s best small forward. There is little doubt that she will earn All-American honors before her college career is over.

Amaya Battle – Minnesota (Hopkins) – a 3-year starter who surpassed the 1,000-point mark last season while earning honorable mention All-Big Ten honors. Was also named to the WBIT All-Tournament team following the Gophers championship run. Entering her senior season, she is just 154 assists shy of becoming Minnesota’s career leader in that category.

Mara Braun – Minnesota (Wayzata) – a dynamic shooting guard who missed much of last season due to injury. Led the Gophers in scoring her first 2 seasons and her career average of 16.5 ppg ranks 9th in school history. Let’s hope she stays healthy because her scoring ability can help propel the Gophers to the upper echelon of the Big Ten and into the NCAA tournament.

Tori McKinney – Minnesota (Minnetonka) – had an outstanding freshman season for the Gophers that culminated with her being named the MVP of the WBIT post season tournament that the Gophers won. Averaged 10.6 ppg and shot an amazing 89% from the free throw line during the season.

Gianna Kneepkens – UCLA (Duluth Marshall) – could be the missing piece that puts UCLA over the top to win a national championship. The Bruins are ranked as high as #2 in one preseason poll. Kneepkens earned 1st team All-Big 12 honors in her final season at Utah. She is one of the nation’s elite shooters and last season nearly joined the exclusive 40/50/90 club when she shot 50.4% from the floor, 44.8% from 3, and 89% from the line. Kneepkens is on the preseason watch list for the Naismith National Player of the Year Award as well as the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award that recognizes the top shooting guard in the country. She is projected to be a first round pick in next year’s WNBA draft. UCLA and Kneepkens play the Gophers at Williams Arena on Wednesday, January 14 – get your tickets now!

Liv McGill – Florida (Hopkins) – electric point guard who was named to the 12-player, USA Women’s Basketball Under-19 team that won gold this past summer but, unfortunately, had to withdraw prior to the competition for personal reasons (ironically, she was replaced by another Minnesotan, Providence Academy standout, Maddyn Greenway). Averaged 16.4 ppg and 5.1 apg to earn All-Freshman Team honors in the SEC last season. Another player that is clearly on an All-American trajectory.

Tessa Johnson – South Carolina (STMA) – will never put up eye-popping numbers because that’s not the South Carolina way – Dawn Staley’s culture is all about winning and not individual stats. And Johnson has done plenty of winning in her two seasons in Columbia, including a national championship as a freshman, where she played a starring role in the title game, and a Final 4 appearance last season. She is the Gamecocks best perimeter shooter and averaged 8.4 ppg last year. That total would surely double if she played for virtually any other program in the country.

Avery Koenen – NDSU (Montevideo) – 6’2 post player who is one of just 25 players to be named to the preseason watch list for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award. Earned 1st team All-Summit league honors last season after averaging 14.5 ppg and 7.9 rpg.

Freshmen – 5 to Keep an Eye On

Kendall McGee – Creighton (Benilde St. Margaret’s)

Addi Mack – Maryland (Minnehaha)

Jordan Ode – Michigan State (Maple Grove)

Aaliyah Crump – Texas (Montverde Academy – Minnetonka)

Zahara Bishop – Seton Hall (Benilde-St. Margaret’s)

With outstanding talent on the men’s side and 3 National Player of the Year candidates on the women’s side, Minnesotans are ready to leave their mark on college basketball this season. Good luck to all the Minnesotans competing this year and thanks for showing the country that we are more than the State of Hockey.

About the Author 

As Hoop Habits’ media contributor, Roger Johnson brings decades of basketball expertise to his articles. Having served as a marketing executive at Wells Fargo & Company and a content writer for Ultimate Hoops, Roger’s true passion has always been basketball. With experience as a collegiate player at Moorhead State University, coach, and parent of successful players, Roger offers unique insights into the game. His dedication shows through his Minnesota Timberwolves season tickets, University of Minnesota basketball support, and attendance at over 3,000 basketball games throughout his lifetime.

With the 2025-26 NBA season kicking off this week, optimism abounds for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Coming off back-to-back appearances in the Western Conference Finals and returning 9 of its top 10 players, including transcendent star, Anthony Edwards, the Wolves are poised to take the next step and secure the franchise’s first NBA championship. As we look forward with anticipation and excitement on what could be the best season ever, let’s look back at some of the “best” in Timberwolves history.

Players

Best Player – Kevin Garnett

KG built the foundation of his Hall of Fame career in Minnesota and still holds most of the team’s career records and had the best individual season in Timberwolves history when he was named the league’s MVP in 2004. It’s past time that his #21 jersey hangs from the rafters of Target Center. Let’s hope the new owners get it done.

Best Point Guard – Stephon Marbury

Electric playmaker who averaged nearly 17 ppg and 8.3 apg during his Wolves career. Teamed with Garnett to form one of the most exciting young duos in the game but unfortunately it didn’t last long. He requested a trade early in his 3rd season because he simply hated the Minnesota weather. He even cited black ice as a major factor – likely a first in NBA history.

Best Shooting Guard – Anthony Edwards

KG’s reign as the best player in franchise history is only going to last a few more years if Edwards continues his meteoric rise. At just 24 years of age, he is already a 3-time All-Star, 2-time All-NBA, and an Olympic gold medalist.

Best Small Forward – Tom Gugliotta

This was a difficult choice with both Tony Campbell and Andrew Wiggins drawing strong consideration. Googs got the nod because of his well-rounded game. He was a 6’10 playmaker who averaged 18.2 ppg, 8.5 rpg, and 3.8 apg during his Wolves career and was named an All-Star in the 1996-97 season.

Best Power Forward – Kevin Garnett

Kevin Love was great too but tough to beat out KG.

Best Center – Karl-Anthony Towns

KAT ranks second behind KG in many Wolves career categories including points, rebounds and blocks. Widely considered one of the best shooting big men in league history. He was Rookie of the Year, a 4-time All-Star, and 2-time All-NBA performer as a Timberwolf.

Best 6th Man – Naz Reid

Two words: fan favorite. This popular young star has gotten better every year, averaging career highs in scoring 14.2 ppg and rebounding 6.0 rpg last season. Was named the NBA’s 6th Man of the Year following the 2023-24 season.

Best Overall Shooter – Wally Szczerbiak/Karl-Anthony Towns

The two premier marksmen in Timberwolves history who approached legendary 40/50/90 status. Wally shot 50% from the floor, 40% from 3, and 86% from the line. KAT shot 52%, 40%, and 84% respectively

Best Mid-Range Shooter – Sam Cassell

Tough to go against Terrell Brandon, famous for his “stop and pop” game, or Sam Mitchell’s automatic baseline jumper but Cassell shot over 50% from 2- point range in his brief, 2-year career in a Wolves uniform. He, of course, was a great complement to Garnett during his MVP season and earned All-NBA honors that year.

Best 3-Point Shooter – Fred Hoiberg

While Edwards is already the single season and career record holder for 3- pointers made, the most accurate long-range shooter in Wolves history is Hoiberg. He holds the single season (.483) and career (.461) marks for 3-point percentage.

Best Free Throw Shooter – Micheal Williams

One of only two Wolves players to shoot greater than 90% from the line in a season (Troy Hudson is the other). Even more impressively, he made an NBA record 97 consecutive free throws for the Wolves from March 24 to November 9, 1993.

Best Rebounder – Kevin Love

While the Wolves have been blessed with some great rebounders in their history including Kevin Garnett, KAT and Rudy Gobert, Love was simply at another level. In 2010-11 he averaged a franchise record 15.2 rebounds per contest to lead the league. He is also the Wolves career leader at more than 12 rebounds per game.

Best Passer – Ricky Rubio

No player in team history has had the court vision and passing flair of Rubio. In fact, I would argue he was somewhat of a unicorn in the NBA. He was the rare point guard who wasn’t obsessed with dribbling but rather pushed the ball ahead with the pass. He could literally pass his teammates open. He holds the team’s single season assist record at 9.1 per game. The only player comp that I can think of for our younger fans comes from the WNBA – Caitlin Clark. For all the hype about her logo threes, the most impressive part of her game is her amazing passing ability.

Best Defender – Rudy Gobert

One can make a strong case for Garnett and Jaden McDaniels but only one Timberwolves player has ever been named the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year and that is Gobert. In this analytics-driven era, he has been the anchor of the Wolves defense, protecting the rim and forcing opposing teams to take the lower percentage mid-range shot.

Best Shot Blocker – Eddie Griffin 

Despite playing just 20 minutes a night, Griffin is the team’s career leader in blocks per game at 1.8 and block percentage at 6.9, a remarkable 2.4 higher than Rudy Gobert. His career was cut short when he was tragically killed in a car accident at just 25 years old.

Best Post Moves – Al Jefferson

General Manager Kevin McHale, a man with a considerable “bag “of post moves (that’s the current jargon, isn’t it?) as a Hall of Fame player, made Jefferson the centerpiece of the blockbuster trade that sent Wolves legend Kevin Garnett to the Celtics. While the trade received plenty of criticism, Jefferson didn’t disappoint. He displayed a McHale-like “bag” of moves and a soft shooting touch to average more than 20 ppg during his 3 years with the Wolves. He is one of only 4 players to average more than 20 ppg during their Wolves careers (Edwards, Towns, and Tony Campbell are the others.)

Best Dunker – Zach Lavine

Many credit Lavine with breathing life into the once stagnant NBA Dunk Contest and he came away as a two-time winner of the competition, including an epic battle with Aaron Gordon in 2016. While Zach is the clear choice in this category, the Wolves have enjoyed many great dunkers over the years, including JR Rider (1994 Dunk Contest winner), Gerald Green (visit YouTube to check out his incredible cupcake dunk), and Hoop Habits’ very own, Chris Carr who represented the Wolves in the 1997 Dunk Contest. And let’s not forget about a certain #5 on the current roster that is routinely posterizing players across the league.

Best Scorer – Anthony Edwards

Edwards finished 4th in the league in scoring last season at nearly 28 ppg, a Wolves single season record. Amazingly, he has increased his scoring average in each of his 5 seasons in the league. If he keeps this trajectory, there is little doubt that he will be the first Wolves player to win an NBA scoring title.

Best Lefty – Julius Randle

In just one year, Randle established himself as the best lefty in team history averaging 18.7 ppg, 7.1 rpg, and 4.7 apg. Lucky for Randle, we didn’t consult with former GM David Kahn who once infamously referred to his signing of lefty journeyman, Darko Milicic, as “manna from heaven.” Trust me that was a very dark time for Wolves fans.

Best Nickname – Jerome “Pooh” Richardson

The first draft pick in Wolves history. Remarkably played in all 82 games each of his 3 seasons in a Wolves uniform (I guess load management wasn’t a thing back then) and averaged 15 ppg and 8 apg. Honorable mention to Kevin “The Big Ticket” Garnett, James “Hollywood” Robinson, Fred “The Mayor” Hoiberg, Rudy “The Stifle Tower” Gobert, Tyus “Stones” Jones, Mark “Mad Dog” Madsen, and Nikola “The Godfather” Pekovic.

Coaches/Executives

Best Coach – Chris Finch

With all due respect to the late Flip Saunders who was an outstanding coach during his 11 years on the bench, Finch has taken the Wolves to another level. He has a career winning percentage of .566 vs .521 for Flip and, in just 5 years, has led the Wolves to more playoff wins 21 to 17, including 2 appearances in the Western Conference Finals

Best General Manager – Tim Connelly

In his brief tenure, Connelly has made several bold moves that have allowed the Wolves to become a legitimate title contender including blockbuster trades that landed Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Mike Conley and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. The jury is still out on his draft picks but Jaylen Clark, TJ Shannon, Rob Dillingham, and Joan Beringer show promise. It’s also worth recognizing the work of one of Connelly’s predecessors, Gersson Rosas – under his leadership the Wolves drafted Anthony Edwards, traded for Jaden McDaniels, and signed Naz Reid as an undrafted free agent. In addition, he hired Chris Finch as head coach.

Broadcasters

TV Play-by-Play – Kevin Harlan

This NBA and NFL broadcasting legend was the original voice of the Timberwolves and called games for their first nine seasons. His creative and energetic style helped keep Wolves fans engaged during the team’s formative years. He can also take credit for giving Kevin Garnett his iconic nickname, “The Big Ticket.” While Harlan is the best, Michael Grady has next! His smooth voice and great chemistry with broadcast partner, Jim Petersen, has endeared himself to the current generation of Wolves fans. His signature “CASH” call for made 3 pointers has made it into the lexicon of pick-up games across the state. As the Anthony Edwards of the broadcast profession, he is rapidly climbing the ladder and will play a prominent role in the NBA’s national telecasts this season. Fortunately for Wolves fans, he will still be working approximately a third of our games as well.

TV Analyst – Jim Petersen

With over 2 decades of experience as an analyst on Wolves broadcasts, Petersen has developed a reputation as one of the best in the business. In fact, he and Grady were ranked as the 6th best local broadcast team in a 2024 NBA fan survey. Petersen is knowledgeable and well-prepared and does an excellent job of straddling the fence between being a “homer” and providing objective analysis.

TV Studio Host/Sideline Reporter – Tom Hanneman

This legendary Twin Cities sports journalist, who passed away in 2020, will be forever cemented in Timberwolves lore. He left WCCO TV to join the Timberwolves broadcast team and held many roles over the years including partnering with Kevin Harlan on TV in the early years and later serving as a sideline reporter and studio host. He was universally admired in his profession and the Timberwolves named the Timberwolves/Lynx media room at Target Center in his honor.

Radio Play-by-Play – Alan Horton

The long-time radio voice of the Wolves, Horton has broadcast more than 1,000 games in his career. He is known for his passion, honesty, sense of humor, and excellence in describing the on-court action. Perhaps one of his most memorable calls happened in a 2013 game vs. the Dallas Mavericks. The Wolves were trailing by 2 with just seconds left and Kevin Love was clearly fouled on a game-winning 3-point attempt – but no call, game over. Here was Horton’s response: “Referees are booed as they go off the floor. BRUTAL!!! David Guthrie is right there, he didn’t have the guts to call it, also OH ED MALLOY!!! Check for it online – you won’t regret it. It will be fun to watch Horton this season as he partners with Petersen on TV, filling in for the games that Grady will miss because of his national commitments.

Fan Experience

Best Ambassador – Jeff Munneke

Simply known as Munn, he is currently the VP of Fan Experience and holds the distinction of being the lone remaining original Timberwolves employee. During his nearly 40 years with the organization, it is fair to say that no one has generated more positive good will for the franchise than Munn – that includes players, coaches, front office staff, and media personalities. And you don’t have to take my word for it – ask any of the thousands of fans who have had the privilege of interacting with Munn over the years. He knows most of them by name. His signature positive, upbeat attitude never changes whether the team is struggling or playing great. Without question he is the fan experience GOAT!

Best Season: 2025-26?

As long-suffering Wolves fans, we certainly hope this will be the year to end the championship drought. But until we see how the year plays out, 2003-04 remains the best season in Wolves history. It was Garnett’s MVP season, the Wolves finished the year with a 58-24 record and the #1 seed in the West before losing to the Shaq/Kobe Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.

About the Author 

As Hoop Habits’ media contributor, Roger Johnson brings decades of basketball expertise to his articles. Having served as a marketing executive at Wells Fargo & Company and a content writer for Ultimate Hoops, Roger’s true passion has always been basketball. With experience as a collegiate player at Moorhead State University, coach, and parent of successful players, Roger offers unique insights into the game. His dedication shows through his Minnesota Timberwolves season tickets, University of Minnesota basketball support, and attendance at over 3,000 basketball games throughout his lifetime.

Being a multi-sport athlete in Division 1 is a rare occurrence due to the extreme time/travel commitments and specialized demands of a single sport at that level. How rare? According to one estimate less than 1% of all Division 1 athletes participate in multiple sports and the number is even lower for those playing a high-profile sport like basketball. Let’s look at some University of Minnesota basketball players who are part of this select group. You will recognize some very familiar names, several who achieved legendary status in sports other than basketball.

Men

Dave Winfield – became part of the legendary “Iron Five” for the basketball team following several player suspensions resulting from the infamous Ohio State brawl in 1972. Went on to average 10.5 ppg and 6 rpg to help the Gophers win the Big Ten title that year. In baseball, Winfield was an AllAmerican as a pitcher and earned MVP honors at the 1973 College World Series after leading Minnesota to a runner-up finish. He is the only athlete to ever be drafted by the ABA, NBA, NFL and MLB. Winfield chose baseball and the rest is history. He enjoyed a 22-year Hall of Fame career, highlighted by a World Series Championship as a member of the Toronto Bluejays and registering his 3,000th career hit in the Metrodome as a member of the hometown Twins.

Bud Grant – earned 9 letters as a standout in football, basketball, and baseball for the Gophers. Two-time All-Big Ten performer as an end (that’s a wide receiver for our younger readers), team MVP as a basketball player and played centerfield and pitched for the baseball team. He edged out Bronko Nagurski and Bruce Smith in voting for the University’s top athlete for the first half of the 20th century. After college, Grant played 2 years for the Minneapolis Lakers and won an NBA title in 1950. He then switched to football, joining the Philadelphia Eagles who had selected him in the first round of the NFL draft while he was still in college. He played defense as a rookie and then finished 2nd in the league in receiving in his second season. Following his playing career, he embarked on one of the most successful coaching careers in professional football history. He won 4 Grey Cups in the Canadian Football League and coached the Minnesota Vikings to 4 Super Bowl appearances. He is the 1st coach to be inducted into both the CFL and NFL Hall of Fames.

Tony Dungy – played just one year of basketball at Minnesota as a reserve guard on the 1973-74 team. He was the star quarterback on the Gopher football team, however, and left as the U’s all-time leader in completions, passing yards and TDs. Was a two-time team MVP and twice earned Academic All-Big Ten honors. Dungy had a brief playing career in the NFL as a defensive back, highlighted by winning a Super Bowl Ring with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He then launched a Hall of Fame coaching career and became the first African American head coach to win a Super Bowl, leading the Indianapolis Colts to victory in Super Bowl XLI.

Archie Clark – along with Lou Hudson and Don Yates became the first black men to be ogered scholarships to play basketball at the University of Minnesota. Clark earned multiple All-Big Ten honors on the hardwood and in the “og-season” he played for the Gopher baseball team and was the center fielder on the 1964 national championship team. He went on to have a 10-year career in the NBA, including 2 All-Star game appearances.

Bernie Bierman – a three-sport athlete, who earned 9 letters competing in basketball, football, and track & field. Football was his primary sport, and he earned All-American honors as a halfback (a running back in today’s football lexicon) on the undefeated 1915 Big Ten title team. Bierman, of course, reached legendary status as a football coach. He returned to coach his alma mater and in his first 10 seasons, led the Gophers to 7 Big Ten titles and 5 national championships – without question the “Golden Era” of Minnesota football. Would certainly be fun to see P.J. Fleck “Row the Boat” to that type of success.

Duane Baglien – won five letters for the Gophers, two in basketball (1943-44) and three in baseball (1948-1950). He was a starting guard on the basketball team and played second base and centerfield in baseball, serving as captain of the 1950 team. The reason for the gap between his basketball and baseball careers was a three-year tour of duty in the Navy. Baglien went on to become a Hall of Fame high school coach in Minnesota, leading the Edina Hornets to three straight boys’ basketball state championships (1966-69), including a record 69-game winning streak. Also led the Hornets to the 1968 state title in baseball.

Barry Wohler – the former Bird Island-Lake Lillian star originally committed to play for Joe Salem and the Gopher football team but sugered a hand injury that forced him to switch to basketball and baseball. He was a reserve guard on the 1982 basketball team that won the Big Ten title and a pitcher for the baseball team that won the Big Ten Tournament title in 1982 and the regular season title in 1983. Wohler had a brief minor league baseball career after being selected by the Dodgers in the 14th round of the 1983 draft. He is currently the highly successful basketball coach at Orono High School.

Matt Anderle – a 6’6 270-pound ofensive lineman who joined the basketball team in the middle of the 2000-01 season to add much-needed depth in the front court. The former Mounds View football and basketball star went on to be drafted in the 6th round of the 2002 NFL draft by the San Diego Chargers.

Wally Ellenson – arrived in Minneapolis as a highly-touted shooting guard prospect from Rice Lake, Wisconsin. Never really found his groove as a basketball player and appeared in just 18 games in 2 years before transferring to Marquette. He did excel as a Gopher track & field athlete though. He placed 8th in the High Jump in the NCAA Outdoor Championships as a freshman and finished 2nd as a sophomore. In addition, he won Gold for the U.S. in the 2013 Pan Am Junior Games held in Columbia.

Honorable Mention – Other men’s basketball players who excelled as multi-sport athletes in the early 1900’s include Arnie Oss, Ted Cox, Butch Nash, Malvin Nydahl, and Robert Tanner. Also worth mentioning Jack Wilson who played one year of basketball (2023-24) with the Gophers after transferring from Washington State where he played both basketball and football.

Women

Denise Erstad-Falls – a 3-sport star in the mid to late 1970’s who is the only Gopher athlete, male or female, to compete in 4 digerent national championships in 3 digerent sports: Volleyball – 1974, Softball – 1976 & 1978, and Basketball – 1977. Named to the University of Minnesota’s Women’s Athletics All-Decade Team for the 1970’s and is a member of the Golden Spikes Volleyball Hall of Fame.

Liz Podominick – physical post player who was a key contributor during her three seasons on the basketball team and helped the Gophers advance to the 2004 Final Four. In track & field she won multiple Big Ten titles in the shot put and discus, was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year for the 2005 outdoor season, and was a member of the Gophers’ 2007 Big Ten Championship team. In 2016, she was named a U.S. Olympic Team Alternate. Basketball has always been a passion and in 2022 Podominick was named Assistant Director for USA Basketball Women’s National Team.

Kelly Roysland – – a 4-year letter winner in basketball who was named team MVP and earned All-Big Ten honors as a senior. Finished in the top 20 in career scoring with more than 1,000 points and was a key reserve as a freshman on the 2004 Final Four team. As a former Miss Volleyball in Minnesota during her high school days in Fosston, Roysland decided to play one year of college volleyball for the Gophers as a 5th year senior. She finished 5th on the team in “digs” in her one season.

Jackie Voigt – a 4-year starter on the basketball team who scored more than 750 points and secured more than 600 rebounds during her career. She earned Academic All-Big Ten honors and was awarded Minnesota’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award in 2012. An All-State goalie in soccer at Park High School, Voigt was asked to join the Gophers’ soccer team after the starting goalkeeper suffered an injury. She was on the pitch just days after the basketball season ended.

Katie Loberg – a 6’4 center who played in 115 games in her Gopher basketball career and led the team in blocked shots for 3 straight seasons. In track and field, she won numerous events as a high jumper and tied for 3rd place in the 2013 Big Ten Women’s Outdoor Championships.

While the numbers clearly show that there are very few multi-sport athletes at the Division 1 level, what are the odds of having multiple multi-sport athletes on the same college basketball team? Incredibly low for sure but we know it isn’t zero. Amazingly, the Gopher women’s basketball program has seen this phenomena twice – Kelly Roysland and Liz Podominick were teammates as were Jackie Voigt and Katie Loberg.

About the Author

As Hoop Habits’ media contributor, Roger Johnson brings decades of basketball expertise to his articles. Having served as a marketing executive at Wells Fargo & Company and a content writer for Ultimate Hoops, Roger’s true passion has always been basketball. With experience as a collegiate player at Moorhead State University, coach, and parent of successful players, Roger offers unique insights into the game. His dedication shows through his Minnesota Timberwolves season tickets, University of Minnesota basketball support, and attendance at over 3,000 basketball games throughout his lifetime.

This is the second in a two-part series that will feature my take on the Mount Rushmore of Minnesota hoops at each level of play from high school to the pros. Today we will focus on Minnesota’s women hoopers. Nothing elicits stronger reactions from basketball fans than who belongs on Mount Rushmore. So let the debate begin!

Who are the faces that make up my Mount Rushmore for Minnesota hoops? To answer this question, let’s head to the Black Hills and see the legendary faces carved into immortality, joining George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and Theodore Roosevelt.

High School

Paige Bueckers (Hopkins) – one of the most decorated high school players in girls’ basketball history. She led Hopkins to 5 state tournament appearances, including 3 runner-up finishes, an undefeated state championship in her junior year, and a 62-game winning streak heading into the championship game the following season when it was cancelled due to COVID. Bueckers is the career leader in scoring (2,877), assists (795), and steals (574) for the Royals. She became the state’s first 3-time Gatorade Player of the Year, was named Miss Basketball, and recognized as a McDonald’s All-American. And that’s just for starters – she was the National AAU Player of the Year in 2019 and in 2020 was the consensus National Player of the Year, the Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year, and ranked as the #1 recruit in the nation. Bueckers is a 4-time FIBA gold medalist and is one of just two high school players to ever be named USA Basketball’s Female Athlete of the Year (Breanna Stewart is the other). And for good measure, she became the first female high school player to grace the cover of SLAM magazine. Bueckers, of course, went on to an All-American career at UConn, culminating in a national championship this past season. She was selected by the Dallas Wings with the first overall pick in the WNBA draft and is the prohibitive favorite to the be the league’s Rookie of the Year. While many in the basketball world often refer to her as Paige “Buckets”, for Minnesota high school basketball fans, she is simply the GOAT!

Tayler Hill (Minneapolis South) – a prolific scorer who elevated South to state prominence, leading the Tigers to a 139-14 record during her career, including a state championship in 2009. She scored nearly 4,000 points in her career and led the state in scoring in both her sophomore and senior years. Earned All-State honors 5 times, was the Player of the Year twice, named Miss Basketball, and was recognized as a McDonald’s All-American. Went on to an outstanding career at Ohio State before being selected in the first round of the 2013 WNBA draft by the Washington Mystics.

Maddyn Greenway (Providence Academy) – the only active player to make the list and while her high school story continues to unfold, she has already accomplished enough to have her likeness carved in granite. She is the driving force, literally and figuratively, behind one of the most successful programs in state history. Last year, Providence Academy became the first team to win 4 consecutive championships, while completing one of the greatest single seasons ever – going undefeated with nearly half of their victories over ranked teams. Greenway is just one of four players in state history to score 4,000 or more points and is in a battle with Gopher commit, Tori Oehrlein, to try to overtake Braham’s Rebekah Dahlman as the state’s career scoring leader (5,060).  She has earned All-State honors and All State Tournament team recognition each of the past 4 years and was named Minnesota’s Gatorade Player of the Year last season. She is a top 20 recruit who has committed to play collegiately at the University of Kentucky. Greenway added to her resume this past summer when she earned a FIBA gold medal with USA basketball. So, what will the final chapter hold for Greenway’s illustrious career – 5,000 plus points and a state scoring record? Unprecedented 5^th straight title? Miss Basketball? McDonald’s All-American? I think it’s safe to say it will be historic!

Coco and Kelly Miller (Rochester Mayo) – ok, I had to bend the rules a little but for good reason, these identical twins are inseparable, so they deserve to share a spot on Mt. Rushmore. The Miller twins were the buzz of the Minnesota basketball world in the mid-to-late 90s. They led Rochester Mayo to two state championships, including an undefeated season in 1997. They also won 3 national AAU championships during their high school years. Both were named All-State and, of course, shared the Miss Basketball award. In addition, they were chosen to play in the WBCA All-Star game (the precursor to the McDonald’s All-American game). What captured everyone’s attention though was the dazzling display of shooting and passing and the intensity they brought to the game. They were doing things on the court that were unique at that time in girls basketball. Needless to say, they were always on the same page on the court and the symmetry of their stats is amazing. At Mayo, Kelly scored 2,151 points and had 549 assists and Coco scored 2,113 points with 603 assists. The twins went on to All-American careers at the University of Georgia and became first round picks in the WNBA draft.

Honorable Mention: Angel Robinson and Kiara Buford – St. Paul Central, Susan King – Holy Angels, Rebekah Dahlman – Braham, Mia Johnson and Tamara Moore – Minneapolis North, Carlie Wagner – NRHEG, Kelly Skalicky – Albany, Janet Karvonen – New York Mills, Olivia Olson – Benilde St. Margarets, Nia Coffey, Maya Nnaji and Liv McGill – Hopkins, Liz Podominick and Rachel Banham – Lakeville North, Carol Ann Shudlick – Apple Valley, Laurie Decker – Rochester Lourdes, Addi Mack – Minnehaha Academy, Gianna Kneepkens and Chloe Johnson – Duluth Marshall, Tessa Johnson – STMA, and Tori Oehrlein – Crosby-Ironton.

College

Minnesota College Athletic Conference – Junior College (only players from Minnesota-based schools were considered)

Admittedly this was a very tough group to evaluate as historical information is not readily available. One thing that stood out, however, is how successful Minnesota’s junior college programs have been. Several schools have won national championships including Anoka-Ramsey, Northland, Minnesota West, and Rochester.

Jennifer Lea Dittfach (Anoka-Ramsey) – this Lake City native scored 1,055 points and secured 677 rebounds in her career. She earned All-State, All-Region, and All-American honors while leading the Golden Rams to a state championship in 1993. Went on to a successful Big Ten career at the University of Indiana.

Olivia Hayenga (Minnesota West) – a two-time National Player of the Year who finished her career as the school’s all-time leader in points (1,434) and rebounds (695).  Led the Blue Jays to a national championship in 2024 and was named MVP of the tournament.

Anne Breland (Rochester) – a two-time All-American who scored more than 1,100 points in her career. Led the Yellowjackets to an undefeated season and a national championship during her sophomore season. Was named MVP of the tournament following a 32-point, 10-rebound performance in the title game. Went on to play Division 1 basketball at UW-Milwaukee.

Sarah Durand (Northland) – a 6’0 center who finished her career with more than 1,000 points and 500 rebounds. Was named National Player of the Year after leading the Pioneers to the 2014 National Championship, a team coached by former Gopher standout Shannon Bolden.

Honorable Mention: ShaRon Miller – Northland, Macaya Copeland – Rochester, Sonja Ellingson, Sara Cecka, Bonnie Johnson – Anoka-Ramsey, Pam Norman and Destiny Piekarski – Rainey River, and Rosalie Hayenga – Minnesota West.

UMAC – Division III (only players from Minnesota-based schools were considered).

This was another difficult challenge given the revolving door of schools that have come and gone from the conference, coupled with the fact that member schools have competed at various levels of play – National Christian Athletic Association, NAIA, and currently Division III. With that as the backdrop, here is my take on the Mount Rushmore of UMAC hoops.

Hanna Geistfeld (Bethany) – 3-time Conference Player of the Year who is the all-time leading scorer (2,276 points) and 2^nd leading rebounder (1,086) in the D III era of UMAC hoops. A two-time All-American who was named the West Region Player of the Year as a senior.  One of just 20 players in D III history with more than 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.

Emily Mehr (Morris) – high scoring guard who helped lead the Cougars to 4 consecutive conference titles. Earned All-Conference honors for 4 straight years, was named Rookie of the Year as a freshman and Player of the Year as a senior, when she averaged more than 21 ppg. Also named to the UMAC All-Decade team.

Haley Sandin (Bethany) – earned 1^st team All-Conference honors all 4 years of her career.  Is second in the D III era of the conference in both scoring (1,951) and assists (410). Was also a member of the UMAC All-Decade team.

Jackie Plesha (St. Scholastica) – earned NAIA All-American honors 3 times in her career and was named the Independent Player of the Year following her senior season. She is the all-time leading scorer in Saints history with more than 1,600 points, was a 3-time UMAC Player of the Year, and was named a NAIA Scholar-Athlete.

Honorable Mention: Katie DeWitt– Northwestern, Eva Voss – Bethany, Jamie High and Lizzy Swanson – North Central, Stephanie Roggenbuck and Kendra Wycoff – Morris, and Erica Babinec – Martin Luther.

MIAC – Division III

Laurie Trow (St. Thomas) – unquestionably the most dominant player in MIAC history. Trow is the conference’s all-time leading scorer (2,607) and rebounder (1,204). Amazingly, she scored in double figures in all 113 games she played during her Tommie career. She was a 3-time All-American, 3-time MIAC Player of the Year, and was named the National Player of the Year after leading St. Thomas to the 1991 national championship. In 2006, Trow was one of just five players named to the NCAA Division III 25^th Anniversary Team.

Jessica Beachy (Concordia) – the all-time leading scorer in school history with more than 2,100 points, Beachy led the Cobbers to 3 consecutive MIAC titles, a national runner-up in 1987, and national championship the following season. She earned All-American honors 4 times and was named the National Player of the Year in 1988. In addition, she was given the Honda Award as the Division III Female Athlete of the Year and was named to the Division III 25^th Anniversary Team.

Laura Wendorff (St. Bens) – the only 3-time All-American in school history, Wendorff is the Blazers all-time leading scorer (1,775) and rebounder (1,053). She led St. Bens to a 94-15 record, 2 MIAC championships, and a national runner-up during her brilliant career. The Fulda, Minnesota native also excelled in the classroom, earning CoSIDA Academic All-American honors as a senior.

Kaitlin Langer (St. Thomas) – this dominant 6’3 post player was a 2-time All-American, 2-time West Region Player of the Year, and 2-time MIAC Player of the Year during her career. In addition, she was recognized as the D3 Hoops National Player of the Year following her senior year when she led an undefeated Tommie team to the Final 4 before losing to Tufts. Langer was also named to D3 Hoops All 2010’s Decade Team.

Honorable Mention: Mandy Pearson and Marylee Legried – Concordia, Missy Pederson, Hannah Spaulding, and Kirsten Vipond – St. Thomas, Michelle Barlau – St. Bens, Pam Summers – Hamline, Tricia Rasmussen – St. Mary’s, Jess Vadnais – Gustavus, Taite Anderson – Bethel, and Katherine Frewing – Carleton.

NSIC – Division II (only players from Minnesota-based schools were considered)

Brooke Olson (UMD) – Olson has one of the most impressive resumes in Division II history, let alone the NSIC. She was a 4-time All-American, 4-time All-Region, 4-time Conference Player of the Year, and 3-time Conference Tournament MVP.  During her senior season, she led the Bulldogs to a national runner-up finish and was recognized as the National Player of the Year, Academic Player of the Year, and the Division II Honda Athlete of the Year.

Dina Kangas (UMD) – prolific scorer who won 3 conference scoring titles, including the 1990-91 season when she averaged nearly 30 ppg. Kangas was a 3-time All-American and is the all-time leading scorer (2,810) and rebounder (1,320) in UMD history.

Erika Quigley (St. Cloud) – led the Huskies to back-to-back Elite 8 appearances and rewrote the school’s record book during her career. She set records for scoring (2,570), rebounding (1,341), and blocked shots (300). A 3-time All-American who was recognized as the National Player of the Year following a brilliant senior season when she averaged 24.5 ppg and 11.6 rpg, while recording 76 blocks.

Lindsay Dietz (UMD) – a 3-time All-American who is the only individual to lead the Bulldogs in scoring four straight years. Averaged more than 20 ppg for her career and is the school’s #3 all-time scorer (2,114). Became UMD’s first two-time recipient of the prestigious ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American Player of the Year Award. She was inducted into the NSIC Hall of Fame in 2023.

Honorable mention: Heather Johnson, Lisa Walters, Joey Batt – Mankato, Amanda Behnke, Anna Schmitt, and Anika Whiting – Concordia-St. Paul, Pat Neder – Winona, and Bri Stoltzman – Southwest.

University of St. Thomas – Division 1, Summit League

Not sure we should etch these names in granite quite yet, given that the Tommies have only been a Division I program for 4 years.

Jade Hill – a 3-time All-Summit League honoree, Hill has registered the most points (1,558) and assists (474) in the D1 era of Tommie hoops. She also excelled in the classroom and was a four-year member of the Summit League Academic Honor Roll and Commissioner’s List. In addition, it was recently announced that she is the Summit League’s nominee for the prestigious 2025 NCAA Woman of the Year Award that will be announced in January 2026.

Jo Langbehn – 6’2 center earned Summit League All-Conference Honorable Mention recognition following last season when she averaged 15.3 ppg and 5.3 rpg. Became the first Tommie in the D1 era to surpass 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in her career.

Amber Scalia – dangerous perimeter shooter who went over 1,000 career points this past season. Has been named Honorable Mention All-Conference twice in her career. Also named CSC Academic All-District this past season. Unfortunately for the Tommies, Scalia decided to transfer to Miami University of Ohio for the upcoming season.

Erin Norling – selected to the Summit League All-Newcomer team in 2021-22 after leading the Tommies in scoring (14.0 ppg) and rebounding (4.4 rpg).

Honorable Mention; Maggie Negaard, Sammy Opichka, and Alyssa Sand

University of Minnesota – Division I, Big Ten Conference

Lindsay Whalen – the greatest Gopher of all time who played with a flair and passion that captured the attention and imagination of girls across the state. Her influence is a major reason Minnesota has become a hotbed for outstanding girls basketball. Whalen helped lead one of the greatest turnarounds in college basketball history, from a last place finish in the Big Ten during her freshman season to a Final 4 berth as a senior. A 3-time All-American who was named Big Ten Player of the Year in 2002, she ranks 2^nd in school history in both scoring (2,285) and assists (578). Went on to become a 1^st round pick of the Connecticut Sun and helped the Lynx win 4 WNBA titles during her Hall of Fame career.

Carol Ann Shudlick – a 2-time All American who scored more than 2,000 points during her brilliant career. In 1994, she led the Gophers to their first ever NCAA tournament berth, was the Big Ten Player of the Year and Wade Trophy Award winner, the only Gopher ever to receive National Player of the Year honors.

Janel McCarville – teamed with Whalen to form the greatest duo in Gopher basketball history. Undersized, physical post player who was a gifted passer. 2-time All-American and Wooden Award Finalist who ranks as the #7 scorer (1,835) and #2 rebounder (1,206) in school history. McCarville was taken with the 1^st overall pick in the WNBA draft in 2005 by the Charlotte Sting.

Rachel Banham – prolific scorer who earned the nickname Maroon Mamba, a tribute to Laker legend, Kobe Bryant, who famously gave Banham a shoutout on social media following her school record 60-point game in 2016. Banham averaged an amazing 28.6 ppg as a senior and was named Big Ten Player of the Year and a Wooden Award Finalist. She was a 3-time All American and is the only player in school history to surpass 3,000 career points. She was selected by the Connecticut Sun in the first round of the 2016 WNBA draft.

Honorable Mention: Linda Roberts, Amanda Zahui B, Laura Coenen, Deb Hunter, Carlie Wagner, and Kinisha Bell.

Pros

Minnesota Fillies- Women’s Professional Basketball League (WPBL)

The WPBL was America’s first professional women’s basketball league. It lasted for just 3 seasons (1978-1981) and the Minnesota franchise was one of only 3 to play in all 3 seasons. The Fillies played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington in years one and two and at the Minneapolis Auditorium in year three. The Fillies had an unceremonious end to their final season. Financial challenges resulted in missed payrolls that resulted in Fillies players literally walking off the court 10 minutes prior to a game against the Chicago Hustle in a sold out Depaul Alumni Hall. The game was forfeited and the Fillies finished the season with replacement players.

Marie Kocurek – a 6’2 center who was an All-Star in each year of the league’s existence, averaged 16.8 ppg and 5.7 rpg during her three seasons.

Donna Wilson – an athletic wing player who averaged 18.7 ppg and 7.7 rpg to earn All-Star recognition in 1978-79.

Nessie Harris – earned All-Star honors in 1980-81 while averaging nearly 17 ppg.

Brenda Chapman– a high-scoring guard who averaged more than 26 ppg before being moved in a blockbuster trade that landed the Fillies Kathy DeBoer and Marguerite Keeley, two all-stars from the Milwaukee Does.

Honorable Mention: Marie DeLorme, Marguerite Keeley, Pat Montgomery, Kathy DeBoer, Trisha Roberts, and Angela Cotman.

Minnesota Lynx – WNBA

This was no easy task. How do you choose just 4 players from one of the most successful franchises in WNBA history? The Lynx have won 4 championships (could be 6, save for a couple of missed calls) and have been blessed with five Hall of Famers who are also members of the WNBA’s 25-Year Anniversary Team – Maya Moore, Sylvia Fowles, Seimone Augustus, Lindsay Whalen, and Katie Smith. Plus, they’ve had multi-time All-Stars in Rebekkah Brunson, Napheesa Collier, and Kayla McBride. So here are my choices and trust me, I won’t be disappointed if you disagree with me.

Maya Moore – the greatest player in Lynx history, for now. Sports Illustrated once described Moore as the greatest winner in the history of women’s basketball. She was the first overall pick in the 2011 draft, Rookie of the Year, 4-time champion, 7-time All-WNBA, 2013 Finals MVP, and 2014 League MVP. Who will ever forget her iconic, game-winning jumper (shades of Michael Jordan) in the 2015 Finals against Indiana?  Also won 2 Olympic gold medals with USA Basketball. Literally left the game in the prime of her career to focus on social justice advocacy.

Sylvia Fowles – the Lynx benefited from the greatest trade in WNBA history. On July 27,2015 they acquired Fowles in a 3-way trade that saw Erika de Souza go to the Chicago Sky and Damiris Dantas and Reshanda Gray go to the Atlanta Dream. And as the saying goes, the rest is history. Fowles was the Finals MVP in the Lynx titles of 2015 and 2017. She was league MVP in 2017, 4-time Defensive Player of the Year, 8-time All-WNBA, and has 4 Olympic gold medals.

Seimone Augustus – probably the Lynx player that never gets the love or attention she deserves– often overshadowed by popular, local favorite Lindsay Whalen and transcendent talents like Moore and Fowles. As the first overall pick in the 2006 draft, Augustus kept the Lynx afloat during some very difficult times before the championship core came together. She is far and away the Lynx career leader in games played and scoring. She was Rookie of the Year in 2006, 6-time All-WNBA, Finals MVP in 2011 and a 3-time Olympic gold medalist.

Napheesa Collier – arguably the best player in the game today (A’ja Wilson is the only other player in the conversation) and is on pace to supplant Maya Moore as the greatest Lynx of all-time. She was Rookie of the Year in 2019, 3-time All-WNBA, 2024 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and Commissioner Cup MVP, and MVP of this year’s All-Star game. Despite her recent injury, Collier is still the odds-on favorite to be the league’s MVP this season. She is also a 2-time Olympic gold medalist and teamed with fellow UConn legend, Breanna Stewart, to launch the Unrivaled League this past year to provide WNBA players with an alternative to playing overseas to supplement their income. And who was the MVP in year 1? You guessed it – none other than Napheesa Collier.

Honorable Mention: Lindsay Whalen, Katie Smith, Rebekkah Brunson, and Kayla McBride.

Consensus Mount Rushmore of Minnesota Hoops

Paige Bueckers

Lindsay Whalen

Maya Moore

Sylvia Fowles

Bueckers is our high school GOAT and a college phenom who will certainly become a WNBA great. Whalen is literally the face of women’s basketball in Minnesota with a legendary career spanning from high school in Hutchinson, to the Gophers to the Lynx. Moore and Fowles are two of the ten best players of all-time. Collier is hitting her prime and when her career is done, could certainly nudge one of the others off the mountain.

Well, that’s it for now from the Black Hills, time for a quick stop at Wall Drug before heading back to Minnesota on I-90.

About the Author

As Hoop Habits’ media contributor, Roger Johnson brings decades of basketball expertise to his articles. Having served as a marketing executive at Wells Fargo & Company and a content writer for Ultimate Hoops, Roger’s true passion has always been basketball. With experience as a collegiate player at Moorhead State University, coach, and parent of successful players, Roger offers unique insights into the game. His dedication shows through his Minnesota Timberwolves season tickets, University of Minnesota basketball support, and attendance at over 3,000 basketball games throughout his lifetime.

This is the first in a two-part series that will feature my take on the Mount Rushmore of Minnesota hoops at each level of play from high school to the pros. Today we will look at the men and our next blog will focus on Minnesota’s women hoopers. Aside from the GOAT discussion (a topic for another day), nothing elicits stronger reactions from basketball fans than who belongs on Mount Rushmore. So let the debate begin!

Who are the faces that make up my Mount Rushmore for Minnesota hoops? To answer this question, let’s head to the Black Hills and see the legendary faces carved into immortality, joining George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and Theodore Roosevelt.

High School

Khalid El-Amin (Minneapolis North) – this Minnesota hoops legend led North to three straight state titles in the mid to late 90’s, including an undefeated season in 1994-1995. Perhaps the signature performance of his high school career was in the state quarterfinals in 1996 against St. Thomas Academy when he scored 41 points with nine 3-pointers, including a game-winning 23-foot buzzer beater that prompted one of the most iconic celebrations in state tournament history, with El-Amin jumping on the scorers’ table to the delight of the North faithful. He was named Mr. Basketball in 1997 and was also recognized as a McDonald’s All-American. He went on to play collegiately at UConn where he led them to a National Championship in his sophomore year.

Mark Olberding (Melrose) – a 6’8 power forward, who was literally a man amongst boys. His presence turned Melrose into a state powerhouse in the two-class era of the early 70’s. He played in 4 state tournaments, losing in the state finals on last second shots in his sophomore and junior years, before leading the Dutchman to an undefeated season in his senior season (1974), that included a victory over the large school champion, Bemidji, in the overall state title game. He finished his career with more than 1700 points and 1,100 rebounds, was named a Parade All-American and participated in the Dapper Dan Classic, a precursor to today’s McDonald’s All-American game.  He became one of the most heavily recruited high school players in Minnesota history before committing to the home state Gophers. In his one year in maroon and gold he led Minnesota in scoring and rebounding on a team that featured future NBA champions, Mychal Thompson and Mark Landsberger.

Tyus Jones (Apple Valley) – the nation’s #1 ranked point guard in the Class of 2014 who played with a poise and maturity beyond his years. Led Apple Valley to its first ever state title and left as the program’s all-time leader in scoring and assists. Also led the Howard Pulley Panthers to an AAU National Championship and won 3 FIBA gold medals with USA basketball. Earned 3 straight Associated Press Minnesota Boys Basketball Player of the Year awards, named Mr. Basketball, and was recognized as a McDonald’s All-American. High profile coaches like Coach K., Tom Izzo, Bill Self, and John Calipari were regular attendees at Apple Valley and Howard Pulley games as they hoped to sign the coveted recruit. Jones, of course, selected Duke and led them to a National Championship as a freshman before entering the NBA draft where he was selected by his hometown Timberwolves in the 1^st round.

Jalen Suggs/Chet Holmgren (Minnehaha Academy) – ok, I had to bend the rules a little but for good reason, this is the most talented duo Minnesota high school basketball has ever seen and they belong on Mount Rushmore. Suggs was the athletic, do-it-all guard who was a varsity starter since 7^th grade and Holmgren was the late blooming 7-footer who was an intimidating force on the defensive end. They teamed up for 3 straight state championships (undoubtedly a 4^th was denied by the Covid year), and for good measure Holmgren added another title following Suggs’ graduation. Minnehaha games became must see events, routinely selling out and they were featured on ESPN a couple of times, including a heavy weight matchup at a sold-out Target Center that saw the Redhawks score a convincing win over national power, Sierra Canyon and Bronny James. Both Suggs and Holmgren were named Mr. Basketball in Minnesota, recognized as McDonald’s All-Americans, won FIBA gold medals as part of USA basketball, and ranked in the top 6 nationally in their respective classes – Chet was #1 in his class and named the National High School Player of the Year. After high school, both took a 1-year stop at Gonzaga and earned All-American honors before becoming NBA lottery picks. And you might have heard that Holmgren recently won an NBA championship with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Honorable Mention: Tre Jones – Apple Valley, Matthew Hurt – Rochester John Marshall, Sam Jacobson – Park of Cottage Grove, Randy Breuer – Lake City, Kris Humphries and Dave Tschimperle – Hopkins, Troy Bell – Holy Angels, Bob Zender – Edina, Norm Grow – Foley, Jim McIntyre – Patrick Henry, and Ron Johnson – New Prague.

College

Minnesota College Athletic Conference – Junior College (only players from Minnesota-based schools were considered)

Admittedly this was a very tough group to evaluate as historical information is not readily available. I am fairly confident in my selections though as I’ve seen 3 of the 4 play in-person. That being said, I would certainly welcome feedback from any readers that have greater insight into the Minnesota JUCO scene.

Ollie Shannon Jr. (Minneapolis) – this New York City native became a high scoring guard for the Mavericks in the late 1960’s and set the school single game scoring record of 71 points, a mark that still stood until the day the school shut down its basketball program following the 2009-10 season.  Shannon went on to play for the Gophers where he was their leading scorer for two seasons and tied the single game scoring record of 42 points set by Eric Magdanz.

David Dickey (Northland) – the Canton, Ohio native was a dynamic point guard who earned All-American honors in his two seasons in Thief River Falls. Went on to an outstanding career at the University of North Dakota and was enshrined into the Northland Hall of Fame in 2005.

Andrew Kelson (Crookston) – yes, Crookston was a junior college prior to becoming a 4-year school and a member of the NSIC. Kelson was the best player in program history, ranking 1^st in career scoring, rebounding and steals. During his final season in 1974-75, he averaged 29.1 ppg to finish among the nation’s scoring leaders. Went on to become an All-Conference performer at Moorhead State University.

Jerry Holman (Minneapolis) – an athletic 6’10 center who led Minneapolis to national prominence, including an undefeated regular season in 2001.  Earned All-American honors before taking his talents to the University of Minnesota, where he was a 2-year regular for the Gophers.

Honorable Mention: Paris Kyles, Andy Hannon, Mike Kinsella – Minneapolis, David Johnson – Fergus Falls, David Krebs – Mesabi, Dick Garmaker – Hibbing, and Tim Getten and Tom Quammen – Normandale.

UMAC – Division III (only players from Minnesota-based schools were considered).

This was another difficult challenge given the revolving door of schools that have come and gone from the conference, coupled with the fact that member schools have competed at various levels of play – National Christian Athletic Association, NAIA, and currently Division III. The one constant throughout all the change has been the University of Northwestern in Roseville, undeniably the premier program in league history. With that as the backdrop, here is my take on the Mount Rushmore of UMAC hoops.

Jeff VerSteeg (Northwestern) – physical post presence who was a two-time UMAC Player of the Year and led the Eagles to conference championships in 2003-04 and 2004-05. Twice earned NAIA All-American honors and finished with career averages of 15.1 ppg and 9.5 rpg.

Tim Wendel (Crown) – the all-time leading scorer (2,077) and rebounder (853) in the D III era of UMAC basketball. Was also named UMAC Player of the Year in 2018-19 and 2019-20.

CD Douglas (Morris) – the all-time leading scorer in University of Minnesota-Morris history with 1,960 points. 3-time All-Conference performer who earned Player of the Year honors in 2017-18. Also recognized as a member of the UMAC’s all-decade team in 2019.

Alfonso Mayfield (Bethany) – helped lead Bethany’s transition from a junior college to a 4-year school competing at the NAIA level. This dynamic guard averaged 20.4 points during his two seasons with the Vikings, #1 all-time in school history and was named the UMAC Player of the Year in 2005-06.

Honorable Mention: Mike Fitzgerald, Daniel Hanson, Michael Carney – Northwestern, Derek Johnson and Will Maupins – St. Scholastica, Hunter Nielsen and Brandyn Felix – Bethany, and Nathan Roeder and Matt Zachary – North Central and Pal Dak – Morris.

MIAC – Division III

Devean George (Augsburg) – 2-time MIAC Player of the Year who led the Auggies to league titles in 1998 and 1999. Finished his career with 2,258 points and 868 rebounds and set the MIAC single-game scoring record with 52 points against Carleton. Became the first player in Division III history to be selected in the first round of the NBA draft when the Lakers chose him with the 23^rd overall pick in 1999. Enjoyed an 11-year NBA career that included 3 championships.

Frank Wachlarowicz (St. John’s) – affectionately known as Frankie Alphabet, he is one of only 4 players in MIAC history to earn All-Conference honors in 4 seasons. He is the all-time leading scorer in conference history with nearly 2,400 career points, was a 2-time Conference Player of the Year and a 2-time All-American. Led the Johnnies to league titles in his final two seasons in Collegeville.

Bob Rosier (St. Thomas) – this dominant 7’3 center led the Tommies to 4 consecutive conference titles and three NAIA national tournament berths in the early 1970s. Ranks 4th in MIAC history with 2,133 points and 1^st in rebounds with 1,330. Was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in the 6^th round of the 1974 NBA draft.

Dan Anderson (Augsburg) – 6’10 post player who was a 3-time MIAC Player of the Year in the early 60’s. Led the Auggies to three conference titles and 2 NAIA national tournament appearances. One of only 3 players in conference history to surpass 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds, Spent several years in the ABA following his collegiate career.

Honorable Mention: Mark Hanson – Gustavus, Vern Mikkelson – Hamline, Josh Wilhelm – Carleton, Brian Ammann, Sheldon Anderson, and Booker Coplin – Augsburg, Karnell James, Tyler Nicolai and Isaac Rosefelt – St. Thomas, Ryan Thissen and Troy Bigalke – St. John’s, Eric Joldersma, Steve Scroggins, and Dale Turnquist – Bethel, and Marvin Tunstall – Winona St. Mary’s.

NSIC – Division II (only players from Minnesota-based schools were considered)

John Smith (Winona) – dominant post player who was a 2-time National Player of the Year. Led the Warriors to 2 national titles in 3 years, sandwiched by a runner-up finish, including a record 57-game winning streak. Winona’s all-time leading scorer (2,265 points) and second in rebounding (1,334).

Brett Beeson (Moorhead) – 1996 National Player of the Year after leading the country in scoring, including an NSIC record 33.8 ppg in league play. The 6’4 scoring machine also excelled in the classroom and was named Academic All-American of the Year following his senior season. Also selected to the NSIC’s 25^th Anniversary Team.

Jay Guidinger (UMD) – 6’10 center was a 3-time NAIA All-American who led the Bulldogs to 4 consecutive conference titles and NAIA national tournament appearances while compiling an overall record of 103-23. 1^st player ever to be named the NSIC Player of the Year 3 years in row. Finished his UMD career 3^rd in scoring (1,953 points), 1^st in rebounding (1,095), and 1^st in blocks (196). Undrafted free agent who went on to play two years with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Gus Johnson (Winona) – this 6’8 Chicago native nicknamed “The Big Cat” is unquestionably the greatest rebounder in Minnesota college basketball history. He averaged an amazing 17.7 rebounds per game in conference play. He was a 4-time all-conference performer who finished his career with 1,698 points, 1608 rebounds, and 606 blocks – those last two #s are simply off the charts. Drafted by the Hawks in the 7^th round of the 1975 NBA draft.

Honorable mention: Elisha McSweeney, Luke Anderson, and Malik Willingham – Mankato, Zack Malvik, Jonte Flowers, Herschel Lewis, Carter Glad and Roscoe Young – Winona, Dan Hagen and Gage Davis – St. Cloud, Drew Blair and Josh Quigley – UMD, Kevin Mulder – Moorhead, Sam Leggett – Southwest,  Charles Hanks – Bemidji, and Harrison Cleary – Crookston.

University of St. Thomas – Division 1, Summit League

Not sure we should etch these names in granite quite yet, given that the Tommies have only been a Division I program for 3 years.

Parker Bjorklund – 6’7 forward who is one of only 2 St. Thomas players to score more than 1,000 career points in the Division I era. Earned 2^nd team All Summit League honors in both 2023 and 2024.

Andrew Rhode – 6’6 guard from Brookfield, Wisconsin took the Summitt League by storm as a freshman in 2022-23. Averaged 17.1 ppg and 3.6 apg and was named 1^st team All-Conference, Freshman of the Year, and Newcomer of the Year.  Unfortunately, his stay in St. Paul didn’t last long as he took advantage of the new portal/NIL environment to make the jump to the high major level with the University of Virginia. And after two years with the Wahoos, he hit the portal again and will be suiting up for his home state Badgers this upcoming season. Perhaps the Tommies are entitled to a “player development fee.”

Miles Barnstable – a 6’2 guard who transferred from D III UW-Whitewater to lead the Tommies in scoring this past season at 14.7 ppg. Was named 1st Team All Summit League and earned a spot on the Summit League’s All Newcomer Team as well. Like Rhode, his stay with the Tommies was also short-lived as he transferred to Tulsa after just one season in the purple and gray.

Drake Dobbs – crafty point guard who had an outstanding final season for the Tommies, earning All Summit League 2^nd team honors as well as a spot on the All-Defensive team. Averaged 11.7 ppg and finished 5^th nationally with a 3.5 assist to turnover ratio this past season.

Honorable Mention: Kendall Blue, Riley Miller, Raheem Anthony, Anders Nelson, and Nolan Minessale.

University of Minnesota – Division I, Big Ten Conference

Mychal Thompson – 6’10 native of the Bahamas is the most decorated player in Gopher basketball history – two-time All-American, 3-time All-Big Ten, and Big Ten Player of the Year. Teamed with future NBA 1^st round draft picks, Kevin McHale and Ray Williams to lead the Gophers to a program best 24-3 record during the 1976-77 season, including a road win over eventual national champion Marquette. Unfortunately, this championship-caliber team was not eligible for post-season play because of NCAA sanctions – an all-too-common theme for Gopher basketball fans. Thompson is “officially” Minnesota’s all-time leading scorer with 1,952 points and second in rebounding with 956. (Technically, Voshon Lenard scored over 2,000 points as a Gopher but the NCAA did their best Marvin Webster impersonation and “erased’ nearly 1,000 of his points for rules violations.) Thompson was selected with the 1^st overall pick in the 1978 NBA draft by the Portland Trailblazers and had a successful 12-year NBA career that included 2 championships with the Lakers.

Kevin McHale – All Big-Ten performer in 1979 and 1980 who finished his Gopher career ranked 8^th in scoring (1,704), 3^rd in rebounding (950) and 1^st in blocks (235). The Hibbing native is unquestionably the most popular player to ever wear the maroon and gold.  This is best evidenced by the fact that in 1985 the University of Minnesota named McHale the greatest player in program history (even though this distinction clearly belongs to Thompson). McHale was a member of the USA basketball team, coached by the legendary Bobby Knight, that won a gold medal at the 1979 Pan American Games.  He was selected with the 3^rd pick in the 1980 NBA draft by Boston and went on to have a Hall of Fame career for the Celtics that included 3 championships and a spot on the NBA’s 75-Year Anniversary Team.

Lou Hudson – 6’5 guard/forward who along with Archie Clark and Don Yates helped break the color barrier for Gopher men’s basketball. Averaged more than 20 ppg during his Gopher career and earned All-Big Ten and All-American honors in both his junior and senior seasons.  Was drafted by the Hawks with the 4^th pick in the 1966 NBA draft and went on to a Hall of Fame career in the NBA.

Bobby Jackson – electric guard who led the Gophers to the 1996-97 Big Ten title and a spot in the NCAA Final 4 for the only time in program history (later erased by the NCAA, of course). Jackson was named the Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the Big Ten that season and was a consensus All-American. He was selected in the first round of the 1997 draft by the Seattle Supersonics and enjoyed a 12-year career in the NBA.

Honorable Mention: Jim Brewer, Ray Williams, Willie Burton, Voshon Lenard, Randy Breuer, Trent Tucker, Archie Clark, Jordan Murphy, Whitey Skoog, Quincy Lewis, and Vincent Grier.

Pros

Minneapolis Lakers – NBA

The first dominant team in the NBA was our very own Minneapolis Lakers who won 5 championships in 6 seasons before ultimately relocating to Los Angeles following the 1959-60 season.  During their championship runs, the Minneapolis Lakers were a popular attraction and played their home games in the Minneapolis Auditorium (now a concert and event venue for our younger readers).

George Mikan – the 1^st true superstar and dominant big man in NBA history. The heart and soul of the 5 championship teams. Named 1^st team All-BAA/NBA six times in his Hall of Fame career and was also named to the NBA’s 75-Year Anniversary Team.

Vern Mikkelson – 6’7 forward who was Mikan’s main sidekick during 4 of their championship runs. Also named All-NBA four times during his Hall of Fame career.

Jim Pollard – a 6’4 small forward who was a double figure scorer and solid rebounder for all 5 of the Laker championship teams. Named All-BAA/NBA four times during his Hall of Fame career.

Elgin Baylor – this explosive athlete burst onto the scene in 1958-59 and gave a glimpse of what the future of the NBA would look like. He averaged 24.9 ppg and 15.0 rpg and ran away with Rookie of the Year honors. In his second and final season with the Minneapolis version of the Lakers, he averaged an amazing 29.6 ppg and 16.4 rpg. During his Hall of Fame career, he was named All-NBA 10 times and earned a spot on the NBA’s 75-Year Anniversary Team.

Honorable Mention: Slater Martin and Clyde Lovelette.

Minnesota Muskies/Minnesota Pipers – ABA

In the late 60’s, the Met Sports Center in Bloomington (now the site of the Mall of America), served as the primary home arena for two ABA franchises (the Muskies in 1967-68 and the Pipers in 1968-69). While fans were scarce, those lucky enough to attend got an opportunity to see some truly great players while enjoying a game played with the iconic red, white, and blue ball.

Mel Daniels – a 6’9 center who earned ABA Rookie of the Year honors for the Muskies by averaging 22.2 points and a league-leading 15.6 rebounds per game. Was named an All-Star and finished 3^rd in MVP voting. A great start to a Hall of Fame career.

Donnie Freeman – earned an All-Star nod by averaging 16.3 ppg for the Muskies. His successful ABA career included a championship in 1973, 4-time All-League honors and a place on the all-time ABA team.

Connie Hawkins – the Hawk’s Hall of Fame career included one brilliant season for the Minnesota Pipers. He averaged 30.2 ppg and11.4 rpg to earn All-League honors and a runner up finish in MVP voting.

Charlie Williams – a 6’0 guard for the Pipers who was named an All-Star after averaging 18.7 ppg.

Honorable Mention: Les Hunter, Trooper Washington, and Art Heyman.

Minnesota Timberwolves – NBA

Kevin Garnett – the greatest player in Timberwolves history. Perhaps the new owners can finally get Garnett’s jersey where it rightfully belongs – in the rafters of Target Center. While his Hall of Fame career might be highlighted by the championship he won with the Celtics, he became the “Big Ticket” in Minnesota after the Wolves drafted him directly out of Farragut Academy High School in Chicago. His time in Minnesota was highlighted by his MVP season in 2003-04 when he led the Wolves to the Western Conference Finals – a championship was certainly within reach until All-NBA guard, Sam Cassell suffered an injury doing his infamous “big balls” dance (don’t even ask…). KG still holds many franchise records and earned a spot on the NBA’s 75-Year Anniversary Team.

Karl-Anthony Towns – this future Hall of Famer is the best shooting big man in NBA history. In his 9 years with the Timberwolves he averaged more than 20 ppg and 10 rpg, while shooting 40% from behind the arc. He was named the Rookie of the Year in 2015-16 and earned All-NBA honors twice while in a Minnesota uniform. In 2024, he became just the 4^th player in All Star game history to score 50 or more points.

Kevin Love – probably never got the “love” he deserved in Minnesota (maybe the knuckle pushup controversy had something to do with that) but he was brilliant in a Wolves uniform. In his six seasons with the Wolves, he averaged 19.2 ppg and 12.2 rpg  and was a 3-time All Star. And who will ever forget the incredible night he had against the Knicks in 2010 when he became just the second NBA player in the past 40 years to record a 30-point, 30- rebound game.

Anthony Edwards – while KG’s spot as the best player in Wolves history is safe for now, it won’t be for long if Edwards continues his meteoric rise. The flamboyant star has elevated his scoring average each year he’s been in the league (19.3, 21.3, 24.6, 25.9, 27.6) and has been named All-NBA the past two seasons. He has the type of talent and work ethic that leads you to believe he can do whatever he wants. For example, he came into the league with the reputation of being a suspect perimeter shooter so all he did was lead the league in 3-point field goals made this past season – Steph Curry who? Is he the next face of the league? He certainly has the talent and personality. If he can lead the Wolves to their first ever title, not only will he become the face of the league, he will be poised to have his likeness carved in granite with the Mount Rushmore of NBA greats like MJ and LeBron.

Honorable Mention: Andrew Wiggins, Wally Szczerbiak, Ricky Rubio, Stephon Marbury, Sam Cassell, Al Jefferson, Tony Campbell, Terrell Brandon, Sam Mitchell, and Rudy Gobert.

Consensus Mount Rushmore of Minnesota Hoops

George Mikan

Elgin Baylor

Kevin McHale

Kevin Garnett

Each of these players are Hall of Famers and members of the NBA’s 75-Year Anniversary Team. Not a bad group to represent the State of Hockey.

Well, that’s it for now from the Black Hills, time for a quick stop at Wall Drug before heading back to Minnesota on I-90. Look for the second part of our series in the coming weeks where we will reveal the Mount Rushmore of Minnesota women hoops.

About the Author

As Hoop Habits’ media contributor, Roger Johnson brings decades of basketball expertise to his articles. Having served as a marketing executive at Wells Fargo & Company and a content writer for Ultimate Hoops, Roger’s true passion has always been basketball. With experience as a collegiate player at Moorhead State University, coach, and parent of successful players, Roger offers unique insights into the game. His dedication shows through his Minnesota Timberwolves season tickets, University of Minnesota basketball support, and attendance at over 3,000 basketball games throughout his lifetime.

The Twin Cities has long been home to high quality pro-am basketball but the current version of the Twin Cities Pro-Am League has taken things to a new level – creating an environment for fans and players that is truly a summer celebration of Minnesota hoops. The league will kick off its 2025 season on July 12 and culminate with a championship game on August 6 – the pro-am is returning to DeLaSalle High School after several years at Minnehaha Academy.

The First Pro-Am

While there have been a number of prominent summer basketball leagues in the Twin Cities over the years, (Augsburg, Pillsbury, Brothers Keepers, and JCC to name a few), the first true iteration of a pro-am league happened in 1988 with the introduction of the Minnesota NBA Pro-Am League that was held at the Salvation Army in St. Paul.

The league was run by longtime local referee and veteran Minnesota Timberwolves statistician, Bob Schoewe. The premise for the league was to build excitement and enthusiasm for professional basketball in the metro area, following the announcement that Minnesota would be awarded an NBA franchise that would begin play in 1989. The league featured 8 teams primarily made up of former college stars who worked in the Twin Cities area.

A few players of note include:

• Timo Saarelainen – unquestionably the best player in the league who averaged nearly 40 ppg. He was an athletic, 6’6 forward from BYU who was the WAC Player of the Year in 1985 and a 5^th round draft choice of the Los Angeles Lakers. He was also a member of the Finnish National Team for 7 years.
• Darryl Mitchell – a former Parade High School All-American and All-Big Ten guard for the Gophers’ 1982 Big Ten Championship team
• Kevin Smith – former Gopher and McDonald’s All-American from Lansing, Michigan
• Keith French – a spectacular dunker who helped lead North Park, Illinois to two NCAA Division 3 titles and was a 9^th round draft choice of the Phoenix Suns.
• Steve Lingenfelter and Chris Engler – two big men that were local high school standouts at Bloomington Jefferson and Stillwater, respectively, who went on to outstanding college careers as well as brief stints in the NBA.

While regular season crowds were modest, select games were televised on local Cable TV and the mid-season All-Star Game (with Slam Dunk and 3-Point Contests) was well attended and drew local media coverage.

The Pulley Era

The next version of the pro-am was the Howard Pulley Pro City League which launched in 1989 and ran for more than 20 years. The league was founded by Rene Pulley, one of Minnesota’s basketball icons. It’s fair to say that no one has done more to promote and elevate the game of basketball in Minnesota than Pulley. In addition to the Pro City League, he also founded the Howard Pulley Panthers AAU program which has allowed many of Minnesota’s top high school players to showcase their talents on the national stage as part of Nike’s EYBL program.

The Pulley era of the pro-am spent time at several locations, including the Salvation Army, the former Minneapolis Central High School and the High-Performance Academy in Eagan. In addition, the league hosted its 1997 All-Star Game at the Target Center.

The talent and competition continued to improve as the league featured an increasing number of NBA and overseas professionals. Headliners included local legends like Khalid El-Amin and Troy Bell, former Timberwolves players Chris Carr, Trenton Hassell, Troy Hudson and Ndudi Ebi (editor’s note – perhaps worst draft pick in Wolves history) as well as former Gopher standouts Quincy Lewis, Vincent Grier, Voshon Lenard, Bobby Jackson, Melvin Newbern, Randy Carter, Arriel McDonald and Richard Coffey. Based on NCAA and school rules, Gopher players weren’t always allowed to play in the pro-am league but when they did it certainly led to a spike in attendance and fan interest.

For those interested in a tour down memory lane you can still find some of the Howard Pulley Pro City All-Star games on YouTube.

Enter Jamar Diggs

In 2016, former DeLaSalle and Wofford star Jamar Diggs returned home after playing overseas and was looking for some high- level competition to stay in shape during the summer offseason. While pick-up ball was certainly an option, he concluded that it was time to resurrect the summer pro-am, like the Howard Pulley league he had played in when he was younger. Under his leadership, and with the managerial assistance of JW Person, he launched the Twin Cities Pro-Am League at DelaSalle High School.

The first year established a solid foundation for the league then it got a welcome bump in interest the following year when Gopher coach, Richard Pitino allowed his players to participate – including standouts like Amir Coffey and Jordan Murphy as well as prized recruit and internet sensation, Isaiah Washington of New York City Jelly Fam fame. This led to greater interest and bigger crowds.

The league continued to grow and became a must-see attraction when it moved to Minnehaha Academy several years ago. The talent on display is at a level never seen before in Minnesota.

Rosters filled with:

• NBA veterans like Mike Muscala, David Roddy, Jalen Suggs, Tyus Jones, Tre Jones, Daniel Oturu, Rashad Vaughn, McKinley Wright and Jamison Battle.
• Overseas pros including Zach Lofton, Anthony Tucker, Jordan Taylor, Geno Crandall, Quinton Hooker, Calvin Wishart, Anders Nelson, Taylor Braun, and Booker Coplin.
• Local high school standouts like Jackson McAndrew, Tre Holloman, Daniel Freitag, Jack Robison, Cash Chavis and Jayden Moore.

In addition, there have been regular guest appearances by Timberwolves players like Josh Minott, Nathan Knight, Wendell Moore Jr., Jaden McDaniels, and Luka Garza, who electrified the crowd last year with a league record 59- point performance. Current Wolves guard, Jaylen Clark, has already teased on social media that he and potentially some of his teammates will be making appearances this summer.

While the opportunity to see high level basketball is the main draw, the Twin Cities Pro-Am has done an excellent job of creating a fun, family-friendly atmosphere. There is a DJ hype man, contests, concessions and special promotions, like two years ago when former Hopkins legends, Paige Bueckers and Amaya Battle served as guest coaches. In addition, the players are very approachable and spend considerable time signing autographs or taking photos. And did I mention that admission is FREE!!!!

Minnesota basketball has never been better so I would strongly encourage you to take a trip to the Island this summer and see some great hoops. You can find the schedule at www.twincitiesproam.com and be sure to follow the league on Instagram at @twincitiesproam.

About the Author

As Hoop Habits’ media contributor, Roger Johnson brings decades of basketball expertise to his articles. Having served as a marketing executive at Wells Fargo & Company and a content writer for Ultimate Hoops, Roger’s true passion has always been basketball. With experience as a collegiate player at Moorhead State University, coach, and parent of successful players, Roger offers unique insights into the game. His dedication shows through his Minnesota Timberwolves season tickets, University of Minnesota basketball support, and attendance at over 3,000 basketball games throughout his lifetime.

With summer upon us and the official start of the basketball off-season (is that even a thing?) many of you will turn to pick-up hoops to get your basketball fix. Pick-up ball has many redeeming qualities – great exercise, keeps your game sharp, friendly competition – but it can also serve as a job fair. Let’s look at the profiles aka resumes of these hoopers you frequently see on the hardwood.

Banker – looks a little nerdy, not very athletic, might be wearing black dress socks. You fall victim to one of the cardinal sins of pick-up basketball – “the game of first impressions” – he doesn’t look like he has game so you sag off him and then he’s cash money from the outside. He drills 3 straight threes and you’re heading to the loser’s court.

Coach – the guy who is constantly providing instructions, probably coached 3^rd grade in-house basketball, so he wants to tell you about defensive rotations, when to cut, etc. Ultimately you lose your cool and remind him to chill this is pick-up basketball not the NBA Finals.

Referee – calls everything, never misses a shot where he doesn’t get fouled and can be counted on to call the all too predictable foul on “game point.”

Doctor – not to be confused with Julius Erving, this is the person who comes up with the immediate diagnosis on every sprain, cut, and injury – “that will require 10 stitches, that’s a torn ACL, lots of blood – broken nose.”

Park Ranger – yes, somebody that feels entitled to camp in the paint – granted its pick-up ball so you don’t want to be a stickler to the 3-second rule but at least pass through the lane when the smores are done.

Actuary – the person who systematically cheats on the score – yells it out each time down the court, figuring that his voice of confidence will discourage others from challenging him. When you do challenge him, he says I yelled it out last time – bottom line if the score was wrong then, it is still wrong.

Optometrist – the player with laser vision – even without the benefit of night goggles. Can stand on the opposite side of the floor at mid-court and clearly see that the ball bounced out on the baseline.

Judge – the wily veteran on the court who has played there the longest – everyone defers to this person on a wide range of topics from how the sign-up list works, who gets the ball in OT and how to handle disputes that can’t be resolved.

Inventor – aka Thomas Edison, this is the guy who invents new moves (some legal, most illegal) – the euro two step with the hop at the end, the 15-foot runner, the dramatic hesi that would make Allen Iverson blush, or the double step back ala James Harden.

Butcher – the guy who literally carves you up by hacking you to death – treats your arms like a slab of bacon. Relies on the fact that even though he will foul you on every possession, he knows that you won’t call it every time – giving him the advantage. And he has clearly adopted the “no layup rule” even if that means sending someone to the emergency room.

Pro Basketball Player – likely one of the better players but convinces everyone that he’s a pro or has an upcoming G-League tryout. Often seen working on cone dribbling drills when everyone arrives – also has a shirt or shorts from some G-League team to perpetuate the legend.

Retiree – aka the Fossil, passes up on his weekly AARP meeting and sure enough gets stuck on your squad and you have no chance of winning. Can’t guard his own shadow and probably was a good shooter back in the day but when he starts mentioning that they didn’t have a 3-point line when he played and he use to play pick-up ball with James Naismith, you know you are in trouble. Likely wearing a pair of Nike Air Monarchs with fresh grass stains from mowing the yard.

Tailor – neatly dressed with the latest gear – shoes, shorts, and t-shirt all match and the shirt is tucked in, of course.

About the Author

As Hoop Habits’ media contributor, Roger Johnson brings decades of basketball expertise to his articles. Having served as a marketing executive at Wells Fargo & Company and a content writer for Ultimate Hoops, Roger’s true passion has always been basketball. With experience as a collegiate player at Moorhead State University, coach, and parent of successful players, Roger offers unique insights into the game. His dedication shows through his Minnesota Timberwolves season tickets, University of Minnesota basketball support, and attendance at over 3,000 basketball games throughout his lifetime.

With the Transfer Portal overflowing with players looking for a new school and the AAU season in full swing, college coaches are in a sprint to fill out their rosters for the coming year, including the University of Minnesota’s new head coach, Niko Medved. Medved is off to a promising start, landing several outstanding players via the portal and recently receiving a commitment from East Ridge standout Cedric Tomes, one of the top Minnesota prospects in the class of 2026. To his credit, he also made last ditch efforts to recruit Nolan Groves, Minnesota’s Gatorade Player of the Year,  who signed with Texas Tech as well as Wayzata’s Christian Wiggins,  who recently committed to Iowa State.

Many, maybe even most, Minnesota basketball fans, will expect Medved to “close the borders” and convince all the great local talent to stay home. They have grown frustrated with previous coaches that were unable to sign high profile players like Jalen Suggs, Chet Holmgren, Tyus and Tre Jones, and Khalid El-Amin or watching the neighboring Badgers consistently fill their roster with Minnesota talent. But is this “homer” viewpoint a fair or even realistic expectation for Medved? Sorry Gopher fans but the answer is NO. While Medved should aggressively pursue the top prospects in Minnesota (which, to be honest, hasn’t always been the case with prior coaches) he also needs to establish a national recruiting base because it is simply not feasible to land all the best Minnesota talent.  The Gophers are literally competing with more than 300 other Division 1 schools, including Blue Blood programs with a history of success and unparalleled resources.

There are a lot of factors that go into a player’s college choice – relationship with coaching staff, potential for personal and team success, quality of facilities, school community, prospects for playing professionally, and increasingly in the new NIL era – how much will they be paid. Editor’s Note: It’s pretty sad that one of the criteria that should be extremely important in selecting a college is rarely, if ever, mentioned in today’s environment –  academics.

The bottom line for the University of Minnesota is that in order to compete at the upper levels of the Big Ten Conference it must recruit high quality players regardless of where they are from. Have never heard a Gopher fan complain about Lou Hudson, Mychal Thompson, Ray Williams, Vincent Grier, Voshon Lenard, Jordan Murphy or Bobby Jackson. And I’m sure their home state fans don’t have the same consternation about them leaving as the Gopher faithful would.

Contrary to popular opinion, historically, the Gophers have done pretty well in landing the top local talent. While certainly not an exhaustive list of the state’s top prospects, I identified more than 80 individuals who were recognized with one or more of the following awards: Mr. Basketball, Gatorade Player of the Year, Metro Player of the Year, Parade All American, and McDonald’s All American – perhaps the most prestigious award for a high school player. Nearly 1/3 of these individuals played for the Gophers (including bounce backs). 17% committed to Blue Bloods, 20% to other high major schools, 24% to low/mid majors, and 8% to D2 schools/other. Let’s take a closer look at each group.

Minnesota Gophers

Of the 26 players that have played for the Gophers the most notable are:

• Dawson Garcia
• Amir Coffey
• Blake Hoffarber
• Kris Humphries
• Royce White
• Rick Rickert
• Joel Przybilla
• Sam Jacobson
• Kevin Lynch
• Jim Petersen
• Randy Breuer
• Kevin McHale
• Mark Olberding

McDonald’s All Americans – Garcia, Humphries, Rickert, Przybilla, and Petersen

College – Seven players scored more than 1,200 points in their Gopher careers – Breuer, Jacobson, McHale, Lynch, Hoffarber, Coffey, and Garcia. Breuer and Humphries earned Honorable Mention All American honors. While nobody won an NCAA title, Jacobson did play in the 1997 Final Four (enough with the NCAA erasing this team from the record book, time for Medved to hang the banner in Williams Arena) and McHale was part of a 24-3 Gopher team that was ineligible for post season play (thanks to the NCAA, of course) but certainly good enough to win a national title, as evidenced by the fact that they had a road victory over Marquette, the eventual champion.

NBA – Ten went on to play in the NBA – Coffey, White, Humphries, Przybilla, Jacobson, Lynch, Petersen, Breuer, McHale and Olberding. Olberding earned All-Rookie team honors and McHale is a Naismith Hall of Famer, 7x All Star, 3x Champion, 6x All Defense, 2x 6^th Man of the Year and a member of the NBA’s 75^th Anniversary Team.

Blue Bloods

Here are the Minnesota natives that left to play for one of the Blue Blood programs. These are schools that have won a national championship or are consistently a top ranked team in the country – Duke, Michigan State, UConn, Arizona, Kansas, Baylor and Gonzaga – yes, the Zags are a Blue Blood and no longer the Cinderella mid-major.

• Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga)
• Jalen Suggs (Gonzaga)
• Matthew Hurt (Duke)
• Tre Jones (Duke)
• Tyus Jones (Duke)
• Isaiah Dahlman (Michigan State)
• Nick Horvath (Duke)
• Khalid El-Amin (UConn)
• Tre Holloman (Michigan State)
• Zeke Nnaji (Arizona)
• Cole Aldrich (Kansas)
• Alan Anderson (Michigan State)
• Kendall Brown (Baylor)
• Gary Trent Jr. (Duke)

McDonald’s All Americans – 9 of the 14 were McDonald’s All Americans, all but Dahlman, Horvath, Holloman, Nnaji and Anderson.

College – 6 earned All American honors – Holmgren, Suggs, Tre Jones, Tyus Jones, El-Amin, and Aldrich. 4 played on NCAA championship teams – Tyus Jones, Horvath, El-Amin, and Aldrich.

NBA – 11 went on to play in the NBA, all but Dahlman, Horvath, and Holloman (who is still in college). Holmgren earned All-Rookie honors and Suggs was named to the All-Defensive team last season. Nnaji was a member of the 2023 Denver Nuggets championship team.

Without question, this is an impressive group and I’m sure “losing” these players has caused the most angst among Gopher fans. Clearly, it’s a tough sell competing against the Blue Bloods and the Gophers aren’t the only program that has seen home grown talent head to the greener or should I say bluer pastures.  That being said, it is still critically important to recruit the elite players in your home state. Rick Rickert and Kris Humphries are perfect examples. Rickert originally committed to Arizona before flipping to the Gophers and Humphries had committed to Duke before ending up at Minnesota.

Other Major Colleges

Players of note in this group include:

• Chase Thompson (Clemson)
• Nolan Groves (Texas Tech)
• Jackson McAndrew (Creighton)
• Nolan Winter (Wisconsin)
• McKinley Wright (Colorado)
• Jordan Taylor (Wisconsin)
• Tom Copa (Marquette)
• Reid Travis (Stanford)
• Rashad Vaughn (UNLV)
• Anthony Tucker (Iowa)
• Darius Lane (Seton Hall)
• Bob Zender (Kansas State)

McDonald’s All Americans – Travis and Vaughn

College – Wright and Taylor earned All American honors

NBA – 3 played in the NBA – Wright, Copa, and Vaughn, who was a 1^st round pick

Low to Mid Major/D2/Other

The players of note here include:

• Quinton Hooker (UND)
• Brett McNeal (Western Kentucky)
• Nate Holmstadt (Montana State)
• Mike VandeGarde (Illinois State)
• Siyani Chambers (Harvard)
• Rob Mestas (Miami of Ohio)
• Jared Nuness (Valparaiso)

College – Hooker, McNeal, Holmstadt, VandeGarde and Chambers had outstanding careers, earning multiple All-Conference honors. Mestas and Nuness were part of some special March Madness magic – Mestas was part of Wally’s World – led by former Timberwolf, Wally Sczerbiak and Nuness was a first-hand witness to Bryce Drew’s miracle buzzer beater against Ole Miss.

Who have the Gophers missed on?

It is evident that the Gophers have done well in retaining the top local talent. Nearly 1/3 stayed home, including 5 of the state’s 16 McDonald’s All Americans, and only 2 of those went to non-Blue Blood schools. Nearly 40% of those who became Gophers went on to the NBA, compared to just 24% for those who went to school elsewhere. Perhaps not at the “Close the Borders” level some fans might want but impressive none the less.

So who did the Gophers miss out on, players that they should have had a reasonable chance of signing but didn’t. It’s tough to argue that they should have landed any of the players that went to the Blue Blood schools, so the focus is on the next tiers – other major colleges and low/mid-major schools. Here is my take on the biggest misses for the maroon and gold:

• Jordan Taylor (Wisconsin)
• McKinley Wright (Colorado)
• Anthony Tucker (Iowa)
• Jackson McAndrew (Creighton)
• Quentin Hooker (UND)
• Brett McNeal (Western Kentucky)
• Nate Holmstadt (Montana State)
• Reid Travis (Stanford)
• Rashad Vaughn (UNLV)
• Nolan Winter (Wisconsin)
• Tom Copa (Marquette)
• Darius Lane (Seton Hall)

But of course, the universe of talented players in Minnesota is not limited to the award winners I’ve included in my analysis – this is where the Gophers should have the advantage. Everyone will be pursuing the 4 and 5 star prospects, the Gophers need to identify and pursue the 3 star prospects and the other under the radar guys that can develop into outstanding college players, and potentially even pros – think of names like Nate Wolters (South Dakota State), Devean George (Augsburg ), JP Macura (Xavier ), Jon Leuer (Wisconsin ) Mike Muscala (Bucknell) and David Roddy (Colorado State). Roddy is particularly noteworthy in that he was recruited and coached by none other than Niko Medved. He developed into an All American at Colorado State and eventually became a 1^st round draft choice of the Philadelphia 76ers. Hopefully, this is a harbinger of things to come as we begin the Medved era of Gopher hoops.

Special thanks to avid Blog reader and fellow Crookston Pirate, Don Beiswenger, for suggesting the topic for this article.

About the Author

As Hoop Habits’ media contributor, Roger Johnson brings decades of basketball expertise to his articles. Having served as a marketing executive at Wells Fargo & Company and a content writer for Ultimate Hoops, Roger’s true passion has always been basketball. With experience as a collegiate player at Moorhead State University, coach, and parent of successful players, Roger offers unique insights into the game. His dedication shows through his Minnesota Timberwolves season tickets, University of Minnesota basketball support, and attendance at over 3,000 basketball games throughout his lifetime.

With the NBA regular season complete and post-season play beginning this week, now is a good time to share my picks for this season’s major awards. First, it’s important to note that as part of its new collective bargaining agreement, the NBA now requires a player to appear in a minimum of 65 games to be eligible for most of the awards. This was done in the hopes of curbing load management and ensuring that stars are on the court more often. As an added incentive, many stars have significant contract incentives or bonuses tied to winning certain awards. The bottom line is that NBA tickets are expensive and, barring injury, the fans deserve to see the stars play.

It’s an understatement to say that the 65-game requirement has had a dramatic impact on the pool of players who qualify for this year’s awards. Nearly half of the top 50 scorers in the league did not meet the minimum threshold, including big name stars like Luka Doncic, Victor Wembanyama, Ja Morant, Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and Joel Embiid, to name a few. So, with the stage set……here are my picks.

MVP – Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)

Many NBA pundits are lobbying for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Thunder to be the MVP, based on the argument that he’s the best player on the best team. While certainly SGA has had a phenomenal season and is a worthy candidate, the Joker is the clear-cut choice. He is unquestionably the best player in the league (world) who had a career year – a pretty remarkable achievement given that he’s a 3-time MVP winner. He is just the 3^rd player in NBA history to average a triple double for an entire season, joining Oscar Robertson and his current Nuggets teammate, Russell Westbook. He ranked 3^rd in the league in scoring (29.6 ppg), 3^rd in rebounding (12.7 rpg), 2^nd in assists (10.2 apg), and 2^nd in steals (1.8 spg). He shot nearly 60% from the floor and 42% behind the arc. For the current generation of fans, perhaps the most compelling case for Jokic is the fact that he generated an astonishing 64.3 fantasy points per game, 10.2 points more than SGA. Jokic had one of the greatest statistical seasons of any player in NBA history (with the possible exception of Wilt Chamberlain) – he is the MVP. Sorry SGA but even Batman is endorsing the Joker.

All-NBA

1^st Team:

Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)

Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics)

Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves)

The only tough call on the first team was selecting Edwards over Donovan Mitchell of the Cavaliers. While Mitchell has enjoyed greater team success, Edwards’ statistics are superior in almost every category – he was the league’s 4^th leading scorer at nearly 28 ppg, led the league in 3-pointers made while becoming just one of 5 players in NBA history to make 300 or more 3s in a season, and  became the third youngest player to reach 9,000 career points, trailing only LeBron James and Kevin Durant – that’s Hall of Fame company. Edwards is also a better defensive player and as an added plus, he gets along with Rudy Gobert a lot better than Mitchell did.

2^nd Team:

Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers)

Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons)

Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks)

LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers)

Steph Curry (Golden State Warriors)

LeBron and Steph are two of the all-time greats (sorry no GOAT conversation today – save that for another time) and continue to amaze with their ability to play at an All-NBA level at age 40 and 37, respectively.

3^rd Team:

Jalen Williams (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Evan Mobley (Cleveland Cavaliers)

Karl-Anthony Towns (New York Knicks)

Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento Kings)

Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks)

Here is a chance to recognize the stellar play of some of the NBA’s under appreciated stars including the league leaders in rebounding (Sabonis) and assists (Young).

Rookie of the Year – Stephon Castle (San Antonio Spurs)

Philadelphia’s Jared McCain was the clear front-runner for this award before suffering a season-ending injury just 23 games into the season. He was averaging more than 15 ppg and had been named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for both October and November. In his absence, Stephon Castle seized the opportunity and enjoyed a stellar rookie season for the Spurs and should run away with this award. He averaged 14.7 ppg and is part of a new big three, along with Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox, that is poised to lead the Spurs back to championship contention.

1^st Team:

Stephon Castle (San Antonio Spurs)

Jaylen Wells (Memphis Grizzlies)

Zaccharie Risacher  (Atlanta Hawks)

Yves Missi (New Orleans Pelicans)

Alex Sarr (Washington Wizards)

2^nd Team:

Zach Edey  (Memphis Grizzlie)

Kel’el Ware (Miami Heat)

Donovan Clingan (Portland Trailblazers)

Bub Carrington (Washington Wizards)

Matas Buzelis (Chicago Bulls)

Defensive Player of the Year – Evan Mobley (Cleveland Cavaliers)

Victor Wembanyama was a virtual lock for this award before he was shut down for the season with a blood clot in his shoulder and thus failed to meet the 65-game requirement. In his absence, I am going with Evan Mobley. He is a versatile big man who has been a defensive mainstay for one of the three 60-win teams in the NBA and ranked 2nd in the league in field goal percentage on shots defended within five feet of the hoop and tied for 5^th in contested three-point shots per game.  Other worthy candidates included last year’s winner, Rudy Gobert of the Timberwolves, Ivica Zubac of the Clippers, Dyson Daniels of the Hawks, and Draymond Green of the Warriors. In fact, with Wembanyama out of the equation, Green has been openly lobbying for the award. He didn’t win me over though. While he is an excellent defender, I gave Mobley the edge because he is a superior rim protector.

Now let me take you down a bit of a rabbit hole regarding this award. The Defensive Player of the Year is an award that seems to draw a disproportionate share of scrutiny and criticism. It brings the second guessers and haters out of the woodwork.

For example, Rudy Gobert has been a lightning rod for this criticism. He has won the award 4 times, including last season when he anchored the #1 defense in the league. However, everyone remembers Game 2 of last year’s Western Conference Finals when Gobert switched on to Luka Doncic and Doncic hit a step-back, game-winning three. Many NBA insiders mocked Gobert, including the aforementioned Draymond Green, implying that Gobert wasn’t deserving of the award because he got cooked by Doncic.

This criticism is unjustified on a couple of fronts – first, Doncic is an elite offensive player and has hit tough shots over many premier defenders, including Green himself, and secondly the actual criteria for the award is unclear and over time it appears to have evolved into an award that recognizes centers/forwards responsible for team defensive success and not necessarily the best individual defensive player.

In the first 6 years of the award, 5 of the winners were guards/wings – Sidney Moncreif (2), Alvin Robertson, Michael Jordan, and Michael Cooper – coincidentally all elite individual defenders. In the last 37 years only 5 perimeter players have won the award – Kawhi Leonard (2), Gary Payton, Metta World Peace and Marcus Smart – again elite individual defenders. If the award is really intended to recognize the best individual defender in the NBA, the pool of players under consideration would look markedly different – names like Lou Dort, Amen Thompson, Dillon Brooks, Jalen Williams, Toumani Camara, Derrick White, and Jaden McDaniels would be strong candidates.

Let’s look at McDaniels for example, he is one of the few (probably less than 5) players in the league that can legitimately guard 1-4. On a nightly basis he is asked to defend great offensive talents ranging from Steph Curry to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Luka Doncic to Kevin Durant to LeBron James. And he does it an elite level. According to analysis by BBALL INDEX, McDaniels is just one of two players in their index, dating back to 2013, that has an A or A+ grade in matchup difficulty, defensive positional versatility, on-ball defense, ball screen navigation, and rim defensive FG% vs. expectations.

All Defense

1^st Team:

Evan Mobley (Cleveland Cavaliers)

Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors)

Ivica Zubac (Los Angeles Clippers)

Jaden McDaniels (Minnesota Timberwolves)

Lou Dort (Oklahoma City Thunder)

2^nd Team:

Rudy Gobert (Minnesota Timberwolves)

Amen Thompson (Houston Rockets)

Jalen Williams (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Dyson Daniels (Atlanta Hawks)

Derrick White (Boston Celtics)

Most Improved Player – Ivica Zubac (Los Angeles Clippers)

Zubac is the choice here over two of the other prominently mentioned candidates Dyson Daniels and Cade Cunningham – while both showed significant improvement year-over-year, Daniels’ numbers were primarily the result of a significant increase in playing time and a more prominent role in Atlanta than he had in New Orleans and Cunningham’s can be attributed to staying healthy – as the first overall pick in the 2021 draft he’s always had incredible talent. Zubac has a legitimate case to be the Defensive Player of the Year and his scoring and rebounding numbers made significant jumps – scoring went from 11.7 ppg to almost 17 and his rebounding went from 9.2 per game to 12.6, ranking 4^th in the league.

6^th Man of the Year – Malik Beasley (Detroit Pistons)

Payton Pritchard of the Celtics has been the favorite for this award most of the year, but it is hard to pass on Beasley, he is the second leading scorer for the Pistons at 16.3 ppg and became just one of 5 players in league history to hit more than 300 threes in a season while shooting nearly 42% from behind the arc. He is one of the key reasons that the Pistons have been the surprise team of the NBA this season. In addition to Pritchard, other candidates under consideration were Deandre Hunter (Hawks/Cavs) and Ty Jerome of the Cavs. Jerome’s season is particularly noteworthy in that he was close to becoming the rare reserve to join the 40/50/90 club – falling just short by “only” making 87% of his free throw attempts.

Coach of the Year – Mark Daigneault (Oklahoma City Thunder)

This was a very difficult choice with JB Bickerstaff of Detroit, Kenny Atkinson of Cleveland, and JJ Redick of the Lakers also strong contenders but Daigneault led the Thunder to 68 wins and the best record in the league while playing much of the season without one of the NBA’s rising stars, Chet Holmgren. The Thunder have been the best team in the league from day 1 and finished the season with an amazing plus 12.9-point differential.

These are my picks for this season’s major awards. As we head into the NBA 2025 playoffs beginning April 19, I’m curious to hear your picks. Who is the MVP? Rookie of the Year? All-NBA?

About the Author

As Hoop Habits’ media contributor, Roger Johnson brings decades of basketball expertise to his articles. Having served as a marketing executive at Wells Fargo & Company and a content writer for Ultimate Hoops, Roger’s true passion has always been basketball. With experience as a collegiate player at Moorhead State University, coach, and parent of successful players, Roger offers unique insights into the game. His dedication shows through his Minnesota Timberwolves season tickets, University of Minnesota basketball support, and attendance at over 3,000 basketball games throughout his lifetime.

Minnesota has long been known as the state of hockey and rightfully so but it is also rapidly gaining a reputation as a hotbed for hoops. Perhaps this is best evidenced by the fact that there are nearly 220 Minnesota natives currently playing Division 1 men’s and women’s basketball – this would have been unheard of even just 10 years ago. This is proof positive that Minnesota players are benefiting from some of the best high school coaches, AAU programs and skills trainers in the country. With March Madness officially underway, nearly one-third of these players are representing NCAA tournament teams. Here’s a look at the best-of-the best from this season – a Minnesota All-American list, if you will.

Women

It is not a stretch to say that if you created a college team of just Minnesotans you would have a realistic chance of winning a national title. The talent is simply amazing – two of the headliners Paige Bueckers of UConn and Gianna Kneepkens of Utah are razor close to joining the exclusive 40/50/90 club. Bueckers is shooting 53.6% from the floor, 40.6% from three, and 89.9% from the free throw line. Kneepkens is 50.4% from the floor, 45% from three, and 89.5% from the free throw line. I will guarantee there is not another state in the country that can claim two shooters of this caliber.

1^st Team:

Paige Bueckers – UConn (Hopkins) – the likely #1 pick in the 2025 WNBA draft had another amazing season. Named an AP 1^st team All-American, becoming just the 12^th player in history to earn All-American honors 3 times. Big East Player of the Year after finishing 3^rd in the league in scoring at 19 ppg and leading the conference in assists with 4.9 per game. Also named Most Outstanding Player in the conference tournament won by the Huskies. Will this be the year that she finally gets to cut down the nets after winning a national championship?

Gianna Kneepkens – Utah (Duluth Marshall) – the 6’0 junior guard averaged 19.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg, and 3.1 apg on her way to earning 1^st team All-Big 12 honors. Was also named the Big 12 Scholar Athlete of the Year.

Olivia Olson – Michigan (Benilde-St. Margaret’s) – last year’s Minnesota Ms. Basketball made an immediate impact leading the Wolverines in scoring at more than 16 ppg and earning 2^nd team All-Big Ten honors and being named the Co-Freshman of the Year in the conference.

Lauren Jensen – Creighton (Lakeville North) – senior guard led the Bluejays to a second-place finish in the Big East Conference averaging nearly 18 ppg and shooting a remarkable 91% from the free throw line. Earned honorable mention All-American honors and was a 1^st team all-conference selection.

Alyssa Ustby – North Carolina (Rochester Lourdes) – 6’1 senior guard/ forward was a double-double machine for the nationally ranked Tar Heels, averaging 10.6 ppg and nearly 10 rpg. Earned 1^st team All-ACC honors as well as a spot on the league’s all-defensive team. Will finish her career with more than 1,800 points and 1200 rebounds.

2^nd Team:

Liv McGill – Florida (Hopkins) – playing in the SEC, unquestionably the nation’s toughest conference, this electric point guard earned All-Freshman Team honors after finishing 12^th in the league in scoring at 16.4 ppg and 4^th in assists at 5.1 per game.

Ayoka Lee – Kansas State (Byron) – 6’6 senior center was limited to just 19 games because of injuries but was still recognized as an honorable mention All-American and earned 2^nd team All-Big 12 honors after averaging 15.5 ppg and 6.1 rpg. Became first player in school history with more than 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 300 blocks. If she returns healthy for the tournament, the Wildcats will be a force to be reckoned with.

Nunu Agara – Stanford (Hopkins) – another player limited by injuries this season but was able to earn 2^nd team All-ACC honors after leading the Cardinal in scoring 15.5 ppg and rebounding 7.4 rpg.

Paige Meyer – South Dakota State (Albany) – the 5’6 senior guard is the experienced leader driving the Summit League champions who enter tournament play with a 29-3 record. Averaged 12 ppg and led the team in assists and steals. Earned 1^st team All-Summit league honors and was named to the all-defensive team as well.

Tessa Johnson – South Carolina (STMA) – the hero from last season’s championship game victory over Caitlin Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes doesn’t put up eye-popping numbers but no one at South Carolina does. In a testament to the coaching genius of Dawn Staley, she has made South Carolina the preeminent program in women’s college basketball by getting highly ranked, incredibly talented players to sacrifice for the greater good of the team – whether that be minutes, stats, individual accolades, etc. Johnson is one of those players, the 6’0 sophomore is a pure shooter who averages 8.5 ppg while playing just 21 minutes a game.

3^rd Team:

Anna Miller – Drake (Rochester Mayo) – the 6’3 senior forward averaged 13.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game on the way to earning second team All-Missouri Valley Conference honors as well as a spot on the all-defensive team. She was also named the conference’s Scholar Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive season.

Kierra Wheeler – Norfolk State (Robbinsdale Cooper) – senior center capped off an outstanding career leading the Spartans to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Championship and an NCAA tournament berth. Earned 1^st team All-MEAC honors after finishing 3^rd in the league in scoring at 15.6 ppg and second in rebounding at 9.0 rpg.

Avery Koenen – NDSU (Montevideo) – 6’2 post player had an outstanding season for the Bison, earning 1^st team All-Summit league honors after averaging 13.9 ppg and 7.6 rpg.

Adalia McKenzie – Illinois (Park Center) – senior guard earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors after averaging 13.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg, and 3.4 apg for the Fighting Illini.

Amaya Battle – Minnesota (Hopkins) – helped lead the Gophers to their second consecutive 20 win season and earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors. Led the team in assists – 4.1 apg and was second in scoring – 11.8 ppg and rebounding 5.0 rpg.

Honorable Mention:

Jenna Johnson – Utah (Wayzata); Paige Kindseth – Presbyterian (Farmington); Molly Lenz – NDSU (Eden Prairie); Marisa Frost – NDSU (Centennial); Shania Nichols-Vannett – IU Indianapolis (Como Park); Madison Mathiowetz – South Dakota State (Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s) Anna Olson – Vermont (Monticello); Molly Mogensen – Creighton (Farmington); Piper Carlson – Idaho St. (STMA); Sophie Hart – Minnesota (Farmington); Mallory Heyer – Minnesota (Chaska); Tori McKinney – Minnesota (Minnetonka); Annika Stewart – Minnesota (Wayzata); Ronnie Porter – Wisconsin (Como Park); Ivane Tensaie – UTEP (Concordia Academy); Macy Smith – Oakland (Spring Lake Park); Somah Kamara – Tennessee St. (Robinsdale Cooper); Lily Fandre – Lehigh (Eagan); Nora Francois – New Orleans (Minnetonka); Alayna Contreras – Kansas City (Hopkins); Jade Hill – St. Thomas (Minneapolis South); Jo Langbehn – St. Thomas (Elk River); Amber Scalia – St. Thomas (Stillwater)

Men

While the men don’t have the depth of star power that the women do, there are plenty of players who have had outstanding seasons and will be playing key roles for highly ranked teams, poised to make deep runs in this year’s NCAA tournament.

1^st Team:

Curtis Jones – Iowa St. (Cretin-Derham Hall) – 6’4 senior guard earned honorable mention All-American honors after leading the Cyclones in scoring at more than 17 ppg. Was named 1^st team All-Big 12 as well as the league’s 6^th Man of the Year, becoming the only player in conference history to accomplish this feat.

Dain Dainja – Memphis (Park Center) – redshirt senior was a dominating presence in the paint for the American Athletic Conference champions. Was named 1^st team all-conference and the league’s Newcomer of the Year. One of only 5 players in the country to average at least 13.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and shoot 60% or better from the floor with 30 or more blocks.

Dawson Garcia – Minnesota (Prior Lake) – finished an outstanding career by earning 2^nd team All-Big Ten honors after finishing 5^th in the league in scoring at 19.2 ppg and 7^th in rebounding at 7.5 rpg. During the season he moved into the top 10 in scoring in Gopher history with more than 1500 career points.

Terrence Brown – FDU (Columbia Heights) – 6’1 guard had a breakout sophomore season for the Knights finishing in the top 10 nationally in scoring at more than 20 ppg. Was named 1^st team all NEC as well as the league’s Most Improved Player.

Drake Dobbs – St. Thomas (Eden Prairie) – graduate point guard had an outstanding final season for the Tommies, averaging nearly 12 ppg, leading the team in assists with 4 apg, while shooting 43% from three and 86% from the free throw line. Earned 2^nd team All-Summit League honors and was a member of the all-defensive team as well.

2^nd Team:

Gabe Madsen – Utah (Rochester Mayo) – 6’6 guard led the Utes in scoring at more than 15 ppg and earned honorable mention all-conference in the Big 12. He also broke the school record for 3-point field goals made.

Steven Crowl – Wisconsin (Eastview) – 7’0 center has been a fixture in the Badgers lineup since he arrived on campus. Finished his final season by averaging nearly 10 ppg, 5.4 rpg while shooting over 40% from three. Is a 3-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree in his career.

Nolan Winter – Wisconsin (Lakeville North) – 7’0 sophomore had remarkably similar stats to his fellow Minnesotan, Crowl, on the Badgers’ frontline. Led the team in rebounding at nearly 6 per game, while averaging nearly 10 ppg while shooting 36% from behind the arc.

J’Vonne Hadley – Louisville (Cretin-Derham Hall) – 6’6 senor wing is one of the key players for the highly-ranked Cardinals. Averaged more than 12 ppg and led the team in rebounding at 7.4 rbg.

Tre Holloman – Michigan State (Cretin-Derham Hall) – junior captain is one of the leaders for the Big Ten regular season champions. On a deep and balanced team, he was 3^rd in scoring at 9 ppg and 2^nd in assists at nearly 4 per game. And if you need someone to protect your logo on Senior Night he’s your guy. You know that drew a huge smile from Spartan legend Draymond Green.

3^rd Team:

Pharrel Payne – Texas A&M (Park of Cottage Grove) – former Gopher post player had a solid first year with the tournament-bound Aggies. As a part-time starter, he averaged nearly 10 ppg and 5 rpg while shooting a team-leading 62% from the floor.

Jackson McAndrew – Creighton (Wayzata) – 6’10 sharpshooter arrived in Omaha as the highest ranked recruit in Bluejay history and he didn’t disappoint. Was named to the Big East All-Freshman team after averaging nearly 8 ppg and 4 rpg, and making more than 60 3-pointers, good for second on the team.

Lu’Cye Patterson – Minnesota (Minnesota Prep Academy) – 6’2 senior guard was one of the most reliable Gophers, finishing second on the team in scoring at 11.6 ppg and assists at 3.3 apg.

Kendall Blue – St. Thomas (East Ridge) – 6’6 junior guard was the Tommie’s 2^nd leading scorer at 12.3 ppg while shooting over 40% from three. Was named to the Summit League’s all-tournament team. Became just the 2^nd Tommie to surpass 1,000 career points in the Division 1 era.

Brody Fox – The Citadel (Mahtomedi) – the younger brother of Gopher big man Parker Fox, he made the jump from Division 3 UW-Stout and had an outstanding season for the Bulldogs. He averaged 16.7 points per game to finish as the 4^th leading scorer in the Southern Conference.

Honorable Mention:

Jacob Hutson – UNI (Edina); Braeden Carrington – Tulsa (Park Center); Nate Heise – Iowa St. (Lake City); Kerwin Walton – Texas Tech (Hopkins); Prince Aligbe – Seton Hall (Minnehaha Academy); Will Tschetter – Michigan (Stewartville); Andrew Morgan – Nebraska (Waseca); Cade Haskins – Dartmouth (DeLaSalle); Nasir Whitlock – Lehigh (DeLaSalle); Eli King – UND (Caledonia); Carter Bjerke – St. Thomas (Wayzata)

As the announcer at the Xcel Center would say: let’s play hockey basketball!

About the Author

As Hoop Habits’ media contributor, Roger Johnson brings decades of basketball expertise to his articles. Having served as a marketing executive at Wells Fargo & Company and a content writer for Ultimate Hoops, Roger’s true passion has always been basketball. With experience as a collegiate player at Moorhead State University, coach, and parent of successful players, Roger offers unique insights into the game. His dedication shows through his Minnesota Timberwolves season tickets, University of Minnesota basketball support, and attendance at over 3,000 basketball games throughout his lifetime.

This winter I had the opportunity to attend nearly 50 high school boys’ basketball games, including many of the state’s premier teams and players. Here are my observations from a season in the bleachers.

First, an important caveat – obviously, I didn’t see every team play and I must confess to a Twin Cities metro bias (it’s where I live) so please know there is no intent to slight or diminish the accomplishments of all the other great teams and players throughout the state. It is particularly painful for me to admit to a metro bias given that I grew up in northwestern Minnesota and was part of some outstanding high school teams that never got the credit or recognition we thought we deserved.

Mr. Basketball Candidates

Last week, the Mr. Basketball of Minnesota Committee announced its top 10 candidates for the 2025 Mr. Basketball award – CJ Armstrong (Richfield), Micah Curtis (St. Louis Park), Isa El-Amin (Minnetonka), Nolan Groves (Orono), Brogan Madson (Mankato East), Anthony Smith III (Hopkins), Chase Thompson (Alexandria), Tyler Wagner (Champlin Park), Chace Whatley (Totino-Grace), and Jalen Wilson (Benilde-St. Margaret’s). The 5 finalists will be announced on March 17 and the winner named after the state tournament. I had the privilege of seeing all but 3 of the top 10 candidates play this season and here is a brief take on each:

Micah Curtis – the most physically gifted player in the 2025 class (his twin brother Marley might disagree with me) had a monster year, averaging almost 29 ppg and 10 rpg, highlighted by a 57 point 19 rebound effort in a 106-100 victory over Chanhassen.

Isa El-Amin – the son of former Minneapolis North legend Khalid El-Amin has carved out an outstanding basketball career of his own. A key member of last year’s Minnetonka state championship team, he elevated his game to another level in his senior season. He averaged almost 25 ppg to lead the Lake Conference in scoring, an impressive feat given the Lake is undeniably the toughest conference in the state, featuring many incredibly talented players.

Nolan Groves – the Yale commit is one of the state’s leading scorers, averaging more than 34 ppg, including eight games of 40 or more. Multi-dimensional scorer – can hit the 3, create off the dribble, post-up, move without the ball and uses his excellent strength and body control to get to the free throw line at a high rate.

Anthony Smith III – a dynamic 3-level scorer who averaged more than 24 ppg for one of the state’s elite teams. Might be a little undersized at the next level but everyone is looking for shooting and he certainly can do that with the best of them.

Tyler Wagner– this 6’6 sharpshooter certainly has a resume worthy of Mr. Basketball. Played on 3 straight state championship teams at Totino-Grace before transferring back home for his senior year. And what a senior year it has been – he has helped lead Champlin Park back to prominence with a 21-4 record heading into post season play. He averaged more than 28 ppg and his 60 point outburst against Blaine ranks as the highest single game scoring total for a 4A basketball player in state history.

Chace Whatley – the Wofford commit is probably one of the most talented yet overlooked players in the state. The lefty combo guard is a crafty scorer who averaged more than 21 ppg and is the driving force behind Totino’s quest for a 4-peat.

Jalen Wilson – similar to Whatley, this UNI commit probably doesn’t get the credit and recognition he deserves even though he has consistently been ranked at or near the top of Minnesota’s 2025 class. He is the steadying force that powers one of the elite 3A teams in the state. Benilde enters post season play with an overall record of 24-2, including a perfect 14-0 mark in the Metro West Conference. Wilson averages more than 21 ppg on a series of old school post moves and an ever-improving perimeter game.

Biggest Snub: Tommy Ahneman (Cretin-Derham Hall) – unquestionably one of the 10 best seniors in the state and I’m not sure why he was not included as a Mr. Basketball finalist. This 6’11 center transferred to Cretin for his senior year after leading West Fargo Sheyenne to last year’s state title in North Dakota. He was also the North Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year. The Notre Dame commit has been a dominant force in the low post for the 25-1 Raiders, averaging more than 17 ppg and 10 rpg while shooting a remarkable 70% from the floor. He did miss several weeks with a knee injury and it is no coincidence that Cretin lost its only game of the year during his absence.

Best that I saw

Players by position:

1^st Team

Point Guard             Jayden Moore (Hopkins)

Wing                          Nolan Groves (Orono)

Wing                          Tyler Wagner (Champlin Park)

Wing                          Christian Wiggins (Wayzata)

Post                           Tommy Ahneman (Cretin-Derham Hall)

2^nd Team

Point Guard             Isa El-Amin (Minnetonka)

Wing                          Chace Whatley (Totino-Grace)

Wing                          Anthony Smith III (Hopkins)

Wing                          Micah Curtis (St. Louis Park)

Post                           Jalen Wilson (Benilde-St. Margaret’s)

3^rd Team

Point Guard             Isaac Olmstead (Wayzata)

Wing                          Sam Hondl (Albany)

Wing                          CJ Banks (Tartan)

Wing                          Cedric Tomes (East Ridge)

Post                           Brady Wooley (Orono)

Freshman: KJ Wilson (Tartan)

Shooter: Tyler Wagner (Champlin Park)

Passer:  Isaac Olmstead (Wayzata)

Shot Blocker: Jack Thelen (STMA)

Wing Defender: Christian Wiggins (Wayzata)

Dunker:  Abu Keita (Park Center)

Brother Duo: Micah and Marley Curtis (St. Louis Park)

Backcourt: Jayden Moore and Anthony Smith (Hopkins)

Frontcourt: Tommy Ahneman, Ty Schlagel, and Monteff Dixon (Cretin-Derham Hall)

Finish: Noah Slinde of Chaska hitting a buzzer-beating 3 pointer from just inside half court to beat St. Louis Park 82-80

Atmosphere: Park Center

Game: Benilde 76 Orono 72 – another classic in this great rivalry

Under the Radar Team: Tartan, finished regular season undefeated at 25-0 but who even knows

Under the Radar Player: Peyton Podany (Anoka), leading scorer at nearly 20 ppg for the top seeded team in Section 7 4A.

Lefties by position:

Point Guard                        Jaleel Donley (Benilde-St. Margaret’s)

Wing                                      Chace Whatley (Totino-Grace)

Wing                                      Wyatt McBeth (Wayzata)

Wing                                      Luke Wherley (Shakopee)

Post                                       Jack Thelen (STMA)

Who’s got next?

The class of 2027 that’s who. This is an incredibly deep and talented class that is ready to take the state by storm. The headliners, of course are Cretin- Derham Hall’s Ty Schlagel and Maple Grove’s Baboucarr Ann who are both high major talents with Minnesota Gopher offers. Schlagel is an athletic 6’7 wing who is Cretin’s leading scorer at more than 19 ppg and Ann at 6’5 is a versatile playmaker who averages 15 ppg for the Crimson. They are far from alone though, here are some of the other sophomore stalwarts – many who already are or have a chance to become D1 prospects as well.

Gavin Walter and Kwa Silikpoh (Champlin Park) – Walter is a 6’4 combo guard who is a stat sheet stuffer (points, assists, steals, rebounds and blocks) for one of the state’s best teams. Might be the most well-rounded player in the class. Silikpoh is a gifted one-on-one scorer who averaged more than 15 ppg.

Jack Thelen (STMA) – a 7’0 center who is already drawing considerable D1 interest. This skilled big man has been a difference maker for the Knights with his scoring (14 ppg), passing, rebounding, and shot blocking presence in the paint. Sky is the limit if he continues to improve and get stronger.

Malachi Hill and Jaylan Hynes (Totino-Grace) – outstanding guard tandem for the Eagles. Hill is the best point guard in the class and averages more than 13 ppg for one of the favorites in 3A. Hynes is a key reserve who has great positional size and a nice shooting stroke – look for him to have a breakout season next year.

Ahmed Nur (Hopkins) – a rarity at the high school level, a 6’9 stretch four. He averaged in double figures for the Royals, while shooting an amazing 52% from three-point range. Slightly built but look for exponential improvement as he gains weight and strength. With his size and skill, he might have the most upside potential of anyone in the class.

Matthew Johnson (St. Louis Park) – a rangy 6’4 wing player who averaged nearly 10 ppg for the Orioles. Look for a big jump next year with the departure of the Curtis twins to graduation.

Marcus Marshall Jr. (Minneapolis North) – 5’10 guard with unlimited shooting range who is the Polar’s leading scorer at nearly 23 ppg.

Peyton Gholson (Rosemount) – 6’1 combo guard who was one of the leading scorers for the Irish.

Blake Betton and Luke Schroeder (Shakopee) – key rotation players for an excellent Shakopee team who will become “go to” players on next year’s squad. Betton is a 6’3 wing and Schroeder is one of the best pure shooters in the state, regardless of class.

Tyler Forrest, Kalin Jochum, Eli Herzog. (Chaska) – these 3 have been mainstays in the Hawks’ rotation and have combined to average nearly 25 ppg. Look for that figure to be in the 40-50 range next year and the Hawks to be a much-improved team. Forrest is a 3-year starter at the point who is an excellent defensive player with an improving offensive game. Jochum is the consummate glue guy and Herzog is a long range marksman.

Briggs Sheridan and Tommy Schabert (Farmington) – while this has been somewhat of a disappointing season for the Tigers, the future looks bright with this tandem of bigs. Sheridan is an excellent perimeter shooter at 6’8 and averaged nearly 10 ppg this season. The 6’7 Schabert is a strong, athletic post player who relies on his physicality to get the job done.

Alex Olson (Robbinsdale Armstrong) – this 6’3 sneaky athletic wing has been one of the bright spots for the Falcons this season. He is a knock down shooter who averaged nearly 11 ppg while hitting 66 three pointers.

Kolby Thompson, Kobby Sam-Brew and Trey Theis (Prior Lake) – this trio have been key contributors for the 20-6 Lakers. Sam-Brew is a physical 6’6 post player who starts and averages 8 ppg and Thompson, a 5’11 point guard, and Theis, a 6’6 forward, are key reserves.

Bennett Cizadlo (Maple Grove) – will pair with Ann to form one of the top junior duos in the state next season. Cizadlo is a 6’6 forward who dominated at the JV level this year because he wasn’t eligible for varsity competition after transferring from Totino-Grace.

Milton Nuahn and Connor Watts (Benilde-St. Margaret’s) – this guard duo are key rotation players for the 24-2 Red Knights. Both are excellent on-ball defenders who will need to elevate their offensive games in the coming years.

Vinnie Cronin (Edina) – 6’7 wing player who might be the most athletic player in the class and is a highlight reel waiting to happen. Must continue to refine his offensive game – ball handling and shooting – to complement his size and athleticism to become a high major prospect.

Izayah Cook (Sauk Rapids-Rice) – strong, athletic 6’5 player who averaged more than 16 ppg for an excellent Storm team. Played primarily at the four this season and needs to hone his perimeter skills to take his game to the next level.

David Mack (Moorhead) – crafty 6’0 point guard who is one of the leading scorers for one of the most underrated teams in the state.

Xaviahn Ivey (Wayzata) – 6’1 point guard who provides instant offense off the bench for the highly ranked Trojans.

Kellen Troup (Minnehaha Academy) – rapidly improving 6’5 wing who averages 11 ppg while shooting 40% from three. Good bloodlines too – his father is Elliot Van Troup, a former all state basketball player and high jump champion from Mounds View.

Julian Smith and Dre Frierson-Hollie (Cretin-Derham Hall) – key reserves for the 25-1 Raiders. Smith is a 5’9 guard who is a gifted passer and an excellent perimeter shooter. Frierson-Hollie is a physical 6’6 post presence.

These are my observations from a season in the bleachers. After attending dozens of high school basketball games this season and witnessing incredible talent across the state, I’m excited about the passion and skill present in Minnesota’s high school basketball landscape. Who’s on your best-of boys’ basketball list? 

About the Author

As Hoop Habits’ media contributor, Roger Johnson brings decades of basketball expertise to his articles. Having served as a marketing executive at Wells Fargo & Company and a content writer for Ultimate Hoops, Roger’s true passion has always been basketball. With experience as a collegiate player at Moorhead State University, coach, and parent of successful players, Roger offers unique insights into the game. His dedication shows through his Minnesota Timberwolves season tickets, University of Minnesota basketball support, and attendance at over 3,000 basketball games throughout his lifetime.

As the girls’ basketball section tournaments get underway this week, we are in store for some incredible fun and entertainment. Minnesota is rapidly developing a reputation as one of the premier states for girls’ basketball, one that produces high level college talent. In my travels this winter, I certainly witnessed this first hand, seeing amazing teams and individual performances including Providence Academy and electric junior guard, Maddyn Greenway scoring 39 points to outduel Maple Grove and Ms. Basketball favorite and Michigan State commit Jordan Ode; Orono led by standout guard Mya Moore winning a close battle against Minnehaha Academy and high-scoring Maryland commit, Addi Mack; STMA with 51 points from D1 prospects Cail Jahnke and Abby Hoselton rallying to beat Rosemount and the 3 sharp- shooting Ramlall sisters, including Gopher commit, sophomore Amisha; super frosh, Chloe Johnson of Duluth Marshall dropping 40 points in a loss to 3A power Benilde-St. Margaret’s and their D1 duo of Kendall McGee and Pressley Watkins.

There is little doubt that the headline story going into this year’s tournament is Providence Academy – do they have a date with destiny? This 2A power can become the first team in state history to win 4 consecutive championships and in doing so would complete one of the greatest single seasons ever. Their 26-0 record heading into postseason play includes victories over 13 ranked opponents, including the top 2 ranked teams in 4A – Maple Grove and Eastview, 3 top 10 ranked teams in 3A, as well as the 2^nd ranked team in Iowa, Dowling Catholic, who has a famous alum you may have heard of – Caitlin Clark.

The driving force for the Lions, figuratively and literally, is Kentucky commit, Maddyn Greenway, unquestionably the best player in the state and arguably one of the best all-time. She averages nearly 33 ppg and surpassed the 4,000 career point total earlier this year. No one in recent memory plays the game at the pace and with the intensity that she does. While she is clearly a dominant scorer she is also a willing passer and that is a big reason why all of her fellow starters average in double figures – Emma Millerbernd, Hope Counts, McKenna Schaeffer and younger sister, Beckett Greenway.

The road to the 4-peat and immortality for Providence Academy won’t be easy – in their way could be a rematch with conference rival Minnehaha Academy and, ultimately, a championship game matchup against a fellow undefeated team, Crosby-Ironton and Gopher commit Tori Oehrlein, another member of the 4,000 point club.  If the stars align, that dream matchup would take place on Saturday, March 15 at 6:00 p.m. Consider it basketball fan malpractice if Williams Arena is not sold out.

About the Author

As Hoop Habits’ media contributor, Roger Johnson brings decades of basketball expertise to his articles. Having served as a marketing executive at Wells Fargo & Company and a content writer for Ultimate Hoops, Roger’s true passion has always been basketball. With experience as a collegiate player at Moorhead State University, coach, and parent of successful players, Roger offers unique insights into the game. His dedication shows through his Minnesota Timberwolves season tickets, University of Minnesota basketball support, and attendance at over 3,000 basketball games throughout his lifetime.

In honor of Black History Month, Hoop Habits would like to pay tribute to some of the African-American pioneers who have had an enormous impact on the sport of basketball in Minnesota. These individuals often faced discrimination and other significant hardships as they broke through barriers once thought impossible. Their perseverance and courage helped pave the way for current and future generations of Minnesota basketball players, coaches and officials.

Lou Hudson, Archie Clark, Don Yates 

In the early 1960’s, this trio became the first black men to be offered scholarships to play basketball at the University of Minnesota. All three had outstanding college careers and were drafted into the NBA. “Sweet Lou” Hudson earned All-Big Ten and All-American honors, was inducted into the MClub Hall of Fame in 1991 and had his #14 jersey retired by the University in 1994. Hudson enjoyed a 13-year career in the NBA, was a 6-time All-Star, and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2022. Clark earned multiple All-Big Ten honors on the hardwood and during the off-season he played for the Gopher baseball team and was the center fielder on their 1964 national championship team. Clark had a 10-year career in the NBA, highlighted by 2 All-Star game appearances. Yates was part of the Gophers’ Uniontown, PA pipeline that also included football standouts Sandy Stephens and Bill Munsey.

Tamara Moore

This Minneapolis hoops legend has always been a trailblazer. In 1998, she became just the second African-American to be named Ms. Basketball in Minnesota after leading the Minneapolis North Lady Polars to a state title. She also participated in the Inner-City All-Star Classic for boys because there wasn’t a game for girls at that time. Moore went on to play collegiately at the University of Wisconsin and had an outstanding career – earning All-American and All-Big Ten honors while becoming the program’s all-time leader in assists and steals. In 2017, she was inducted into the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame. After a 12 year playing career in the WNBA and overseas, Moore went into coaching and in 2020, she made national headlines by becoming the first black woman to coach a men’s college team – the Mesabi Range Norsemen in Virginia, MN. She is now a scout for the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, becoming the first female scout in the organization’s history.

McRae All-Stars

This group of mostly black middle schoolers from the inner cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul became the first Minnesota basketball team to play on the national AAU circuit. The team had incredible success, winning several tournaments, including the 1^st annual Las Vegas Invitational in 1984, one of the premier youth tournaments in the country at that time. The team was founded and coached by Ralph Crowder Jr. and was named after McRae Park in South Minneapolis. While the on-court success was impressive, the story of the McRae All-Stars was so much more than that – it was about community, race, culture, and youth development.  One of the stars of the team, Derek Reuben, went on to become Mr. Basketball in 1988 following an outstanding career at Minneapolis North. In February of last year, the Minnesota History Center hosted a special conversation to tell the inspirational story of the McRae All-Stars.

On a personal note, we at Hoop Habits would like to express our thanks to this group of basketball pioneers who laid the foundation for future generations of Minnesota hoopers to flourish on the national scene, including our very own Hoop Habits Elite teams that will be debuting this season on the New Balance Circuit.

Linda Roberts

After a standout career at St. Paul Central, where she led her team to the 1976 state title, Linda Roberts became the first African-American to play for the University of Minnesota women’s basketball team. Widely considered the first superstar in program history, she was a 2-time Wade Trophy finalist, an All-American, 3-time team MVP, and graduated as the leading scorer and rebounder in school history – her 1,413 rebounds still ranks #1 all-time. Roberts also became the first black woman to have her jersey (#21) retired at the University. She played professionally briefly with the Minnesota Fillies and later became an administrator at her alma mater.

Bob Williams

Bob Williams was a 6’6 forward from Florida A&M who, in 1955, became the first black player for the Minneapolis Lakers. He was one of just 7 black players in the NBA at that time. In addition to playing for the Lakers, Williams traveled with the Harlem Globetrotters during the off season. Following his playing career, he remained in the Twin Cities and had a successful career at Pillsbury while also co-founding the Minnesota Chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. In 2015, Laker legend Kobe Bryant was in the Twin Cities to play the Timberwolves and arranged to meet Williams so that he could personally thank him for paving the way for black players in the NBA.

Larry McKenzie

In 2014, Larry McKenzie became the first African-American coach to be inducted into the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame. During his legendary career he won 6 state titles and posted an overall record of 481-166. He is the first coach to win 4 consecutive state titles and the only coach to lead two separate schools (Minneapolis Patrick Henry and Minneapolis North) to multiple state titles. After retiring from coaching, McKenzie has continued to be active in the Minneapolis community as a motivational speaker and through his civic engagement and volunteer efforts. He has also published a book, “Basketball: Much More Than Just a Game.” This should be recommended reading for players and parents alike.

Arianna Jones, Tamira McLemore, Camryn Speese, Kaezha Wubben, and Camille McCoy

On November 19, 2018, these women became the first all black starting five in Minnesota women’s college basketball history when they took the floor for Augsburg against the University of Wisconson-Superior. The Auggies won the game 79-63, led by 22 points from McLemore and 14 from Wubben. Not only did this group break long-standing racial barriers, they were also instrumental in the resurgence of the Augsburg women’s basketball program under head coach Ted Riverso. The 2018-19 team went 22-5 overall with a 16-2 record in the MIAC, second only to national power, the University of St. Thomas.

Jim Robinson

Robinson was an officiating pioneer who has had an incredible impact on the Minnesota basketball community. In 1971, he became the first African-American official to work the Minnesota boys state tournament and was also one of the first to officiate men’s basketball games in the Big Ten. A long- time advocate for black officials, Robinson held officiating camps and helped establish an officiating association for minorities in Minnesota. In 1991, Robinson became the Minnesota State High School League’s supervisor of basketball officials and also served on the League’s board of directors. He was inducted into the MSHL’s Hall of Fame in 1993, is a member of the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Honor and was named an NCAA Living Legend at the 2019 Final Four held in Minneapolis. In 2017, Robinson took over as the President of the Minnesota Mr. Basketball Committee and was a fixture at gyms across the state of Minnesota until his passing in late 2020.

What does the Future Hold?

Shining a light on the accomplishments of these courageous pioneers serves as a reminder of the progress that has been made but also the very real struggles and challenges that still exist today. It is incumbent on all of us to be actively engaged in building a more just and equitable society. While this can be a daunting task, perhaps the late civil rights icon and long-time Georgia congressman, John Lewis, said it best: “Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”

About the Author

As Hoop Habits’ media contributor, Roger Johnson brings decades of basketball expertise to his articles. Having served as a marketing executive at Wells Fargo & Company and a content writer for Ultimate Hoops, Roger’s true passion has always been basketball. With experience as a collegiate player at Moorhead State University, coach, and parent of successful players, Roger offers unique insights into the game. His dedication shows through his Minnesota Timberwolves season tickets, University of Minnesota basketball support, and attendance at over 3,000 basketball games throughout his lifetime.