Local Insider Floats the “Logical Choice” for Next Gophers MBB Head Coach

By Ted Schwerzler |

Updated: Nov 11, 2024

Niko Medved — Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Gophers brought in Minneapolis-native Ben Johnson as men’s basketball head coach, after Richard Pitino was fired in 2021. At the time, athletic director Mark Coyle hoped someone with local ties could establish recruiting roots in-state that would keep the best talent home.

That hasn’t come to fruition, mostly due to the change in recruiting landscape and a newfound importance on NIL funding, not relationships. In 97 games as the Gophers’ head coach, Johnson’s 43-54 record (15-44 in the Big Ten) leaves plenty to be desired.

Another “one of us” candidate to replace Ben Johnson?

Remember, Coyle came from Syracuse. He wants to go back to the NCAA Tournament, which is why Ben Johnson is very much on the hot season, in his fourth season as Minnesota head coach. If Johnson doesn’t prove to his athletic director that he is the fastest route back to the March Madness dance floor, then he’ll be out at the end of this season.

Minnesota Gophers head coaching rumors: Niko Medved, Colorado State — Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

In fact, rumors are already starting to float around, regarding who the next Minnesota Gophers men’s basketball coach might be. There are a lot of obvious candidates, all of them overqualified (if we are being honest). Whoever Coyle picks, they’ll have a much better resume than Johnson, including multiple NCAA appearances.

But the most logical candidate, according to a guy VERY deeply rooted in University of Minnesota athletics — Charley Walters (Pioneer Press) — is Colorado State head coach, and Roseville MN native, Niko Medved.

“Colorado State’s Niko Medved from Roseville remains the logical choice if the Gophers men’s basketball program makes a coaching change after the season.”
Charley Walters on the Minnesota basketball head coaching position (Pioneer Press)

Unlike Johnson, Medved has a sizable track record. This is his 12th year as a collegiate head coach, and he has spent the last seven at Colorado State. After stops at Furman and Drake, Medved took over the Colorado State program and quickly turned it into a winner.

What would Niko Medved bring to the Minnesota Gophers?

Medved has twice taken the Rams to the NCAA Tournament, and had them ranked as high as 13th in the nation last year, before coaching them to their first NCAA Tournament win since 2012, in March.

Colorado State will never be a perennial powerhouse, no matter who coaches there. But only twice since Niko’s arrival, have the Rams failed to win at least 20 games, and they’ve been a near the top of an increasingly stacked Mountain West Conference for a half decade, under his guidance.

Season	School	Conf	W	L	W-L%	AP High	AP Final	NCAA Tourney	MWC Rank
2018-19	Colorado State	MWC	12	20	.375			No	T-7th
2019-20	Colorado State	MWC	20	12	.625			No	T-5th
2020-21	Colorado State	MWC	20	8	.714			No	2nd
2021-22	Colorado State	MWC	25	6	.806	20	24	Yes	2nd
2022-23	Colorado State	MWC	15	18	.455			No	8th
2023-24	Colorado State	MWC	25	11	.694	13		Yes	T-6th
2024-25	Colorado State	MWC	2	0	1.000
Colorado State			119	75	.613			2 NCAA
Career			198	163	.548

Provided by CBB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 11/11/2024.

The Gophers basketball job will never be the most coveted in the country, but it’s a step up for Medved to work in the Big Ten. He’d have an opportunity to avoid the recruiting and transfer gaffes that have plagued Johnson. An opportunity to turn around his alma mater would also be more than enticing.

In his playing days, Johnson ran point guard for his hometown Gophers, in 59 total games, after transferring back from Northwestern. If he doesn’t start winning more games as a coach, he’ll be transferring back out, and it’s unlikely he will have a lot of head coaching opportunities available.