The Gophers basketball program earned a major commitment from 7-foot-1 center Dennis Evans on Monday night. (Check out his Instagram announcement here).
Evans, a five-star recruit from Riverside, Calif., is the highest-rated Minnesota basketball commit (No. 13) since Kris Humphries (No. 15) in 2003, according to Rivals. Here is a chart with the Gophers’ recruiting ratings during the internet era, per 24/7 Sports. Evans comes in third, according to their data:
Evans chose Minnesota over TCU, but also held high-profile offers from Kansas, Texas, Florida State and others. He visited the University of Minnesota in late September and narrowed his college choices to the Gophers and TCU. The California native currently slots in as the No. 13 overall prospect by Rivals and No. 27 by 24/7 Sports’ rankings. Evans is also the nation’s fourth-best center, according to 24/7 Sports’ composite rankings.
A disruptive shot blocker with a 7-foot-7 wingspan, Evans recently won a gold medal for Team USA’s World Cup team and attended the 2022 USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team minicamp. The 7-footer also averaged 11.6 points, 10 rebounds and seven blocks per game as a junior at Hillcrest High School in California. You can check out some of his highlights by clicking below:
Minnesota knows elite rim protection is a pivotal trait that every successful Big Ten program must have. It is one of the reasons why the Gophers zoned in on a top-rated big man within this recruiting cycle.
Minnesota’s new center joins four-star guard Cameron Christie, the No. 2-rated player in Illinois, as the second commit within the program’s 2023 class. Evans will also team up with current Gophers freshman guard/forward and California native Jaden Henley, who played AAU basketball with him on Team Inland.
A major national commitment like this shows fans how much Johnson and the staff are moving the needle on the recruiting trail.
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