Minnesota Gophers Beat Out USC for High 3-Star Big Man with Options

There are a lot of questions surrounding the Minnesota Gophers men’s basketball program, as we creep deeper into Ben Johnson’s 4th season as head coach. But for now, the 2024-25 Golden Gophers are 4-1, and winners of two straight.

On Wednesday, they picked up a win on the recruiting trail, too. Around 9:45 p.m. CST, talented 2025 do-it-all Texas high school big man, Parker Jefferson, announced his commitment to the University of Minnesota.

3-star Parker Jefferson (CA) commits to Minnesota Gophers MBB

The 6-10 top 150 3-star (88 overall – On3) chose the Minnesota Gophers over his other finalist, the USC Trojans. Jefferson’s offer list also included Texas A&M, SMU, Iowa and Oklahoma State (247Sports). He is the third commitment of Ben Johnson’s 2025 class.

According to what Jefferson told On3’s lead recruiting analyst, Joe Tipton, the Gophers plan to give him run as a true freshman. Ben sold Parker on being a Nikola Jokic type quarterback in Minnesota’s offense.

“Coach Johnson and his staff from day one have had such a real and genuine feel to them and they’ve expressed that they believe in my talents. They want me to come in as a freshman and play. They also run a lot of sets through their bigs and they see me as a quarterback in their offense.”

Parker Jefferson – via On3

NEWS: 2025 Top-150 recruit Parker Jefferson has committed to Minnesota, he tells @On3Recruits.

The 6-10 center chose the Gophers over USC.

Story: https://t.co/mWmC52QdYi pic.twitter.com/lksmWat8gy

— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) November 21, 2024

Parker Jefferson’s game: What Minnesota Gophers fans should know

In his junior highlights from last season (below), Parker Jefferson is exactly what you would expect him to be, given who’s after him. He can shoot, pass and dribble. You can tell his favorite thing to do is get to the rim, from free throw line-in, where he can work face-up or back to the basket.

From there, he can get in his full bag of passing, shooting and playmaking talent. And when he does get to the hole, Parker can finish with some thunder. Throw in Jefferson’s ability to shoot from 3-point land and he will make for an incredible offensive threat for the Minnesota Gophers.

It’s easy to see why this consensus 3-star was heavily sought after by a bevy of high-major programs. It wouldn’t surprise me if his recruiting ratings climb over the next few months, should he impress scouts during his senior campaign at Inglewood High School.

Turns out, Minnesota isn’t a frozen wasteland…

As happens regularly for kids who are from the south, or West coast (Parker is from Texas but plays high school basketball in California), Jefferson couldn’t believe reality when he got to the University of Minnesota campus for an official visit the weekend of October 26.

Related: Dawson Garcia Gave Hometown Gophers a Massive 50% Off NIL Discount

What the Texas-native thought would be a baron, frozen wasteland… was actually a sprawling metropolis, with amazing views from Dinkytown. Parker is the 2nd 2025 HS commit out of Cali.

“The campus also was something that shocked me because I have never been to Minnesota. I thought I would be in the middle of nowhere but it was one of the most beautiful scenes I have witnessed from a college campus.”

Parker Jefferson – via 247Sports

I swear, if kids around the country didn’t see the University of Minnesota in the same light they do Iowa, Nebraska and the Dakotas, we might actually stand a chance with some of the nation’s top recruits. They have no idea Dinkytown sits in on the west side of Minneapolis, an easy Uber ride to anything you want.

If Parker flipped this quickly, after one visit, imagine the kids who would be interested in Minnesota, but never even get to a visit, because they think “frozen tundra” early, and write us off? We’ll never know.

Ben Johnson has lots of work to do before Jefferson arrives on campus…

The 2024-25 Minnesota Gophers men’s basketball team is 4-1 and probably feeling better about itself than anytime previously this season. They’ve won two-straight games, after falling in disappointing fashion last week to North Texas.

That streak includes at least one impressive victory vs a Yale team that is projected to finish near the top of the Ivy League. A Yale team that nearly upset top 15 Purdue, just days before coming to The Barn and getting beat by the Golden Gophers. How long will the good vibes last in Dinkytown?

Is this what good vibes feel like? Look, Ben Johnson apologists don’t want me to answer that question, especially in a good news article about an impressive commitment the Gopher MBB program reeled in late Wednesday night.

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

It’s also worth noting who Johnson won this recruiting battle over, beating out ‘one of us’ Eric Musselman, who was recently hired at USC. Musselman recruited Jefferson, going back to his time at Arkansas, where he coached 5 seasons, from 2019-2023.

Should the University of Minnesota men’s basketball head coaching position come open any time soon, Musselman will be at the top of the list, no matter where he is coaching or how long he has been there. The U of M is said to be his dream job.