Medved, Gophers Offer Top High School Recruit in Minnesota

New Minnesota Gophers head men’s basketball coach Niko Medved isn’t wasting time building his first ever Golden Gophers roster. Medved’s first big win came when two key freshman — Isaac Asuma and Grayson Grove — committed to returning for the 2025 season.

Given the urgency to get Big Ten ready talent on next year’s roster, the transfer portal — which opened last Monday, the same day Medved was officially hired — will be the new head coach’s top priority. But that doesn’t mean Niko hasn’t set aside time for high school recruiting. In fact, on Sunday night, the new head coach put an offer on the table for Minnesota’s top 2026 recruit, according to 247Sports.

Minnesota Gophers offer top in-state prospect for 2026

Christian Wiggins, a high school junior, is fresh off a dominating 80-55 State Championship victory over Cretin-Derham Hall, the Wayzata superstar announced Sunday night that he picked up an offer from the hometown MN Gophers and their new head coach.

Wiggins, a 6’4”, 180-pound four-star recruit in the class of 2026, put up 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists in Wayzata’s title game win. His Minnesota offer comes in after he’s already received offers from Iowa, Iowa State, Creighton, and Wisconsin.

How good is Christian Wiggins + highlights

As the top-ranked prospect in Minnesota for 2026, more schools are sure to come calling. As of Monday, Wiggins is the 69th ranked recruit in his class (11th-best SG), according to 247Sports. Landing the Trojans standout would be a huge win for Medved and his young Gophers basketball program.

Christian Wiggins has already hit the 1,000-point mark for Wayzata, and he still has another season to go. As a junior, he averaged 19.1 points per game and dropped a season-high 31 points against Hopkins in the section championship, helping Wayzata punch its ticket to state.

Related: Niko Medved’s Star Guard Enters Transfer Portal

In his opening press conference, Medved emphasized the importance of keeping the state’s talent home. If Wiggins decides to stay, it would be a huge win for him and his staff, and a clear step in the right direction for the program.