Gophers hosting five-star 7-footer Evans on weekend recruiting visit
California 7-footer Dennis Evans III has been wooed by the Gophers men's basketball coaching staff for months, but he finally arrives for his official visit Thursday night.
Evans, ranked 13th nationally in the 2023 class by Rivals.com and 27th by 247Sports.com, was visited last week by Gophers coach Ben Johnson and assistant Marcus Jenkins at Hillcrest High School in Riverside, Calif.
But it's finally time for Evans to see Minnesota's program for himself. He'll tour the U campus and facilities Friday and attend Saturday's homecoming football game against Purdue.
"It's a tremendous opportunity to be able to speak to the coaching staff and everybody," Evans told the Star Tribune recently. "Building a relationship with them was a unique experience and I get to know more about their program and what they do."
When speaking to Johnson and Jenkins throughout the recruiting process, they've told Evans he could develop into one of the top centers in college basketball with the Gophers.
"I'm looking for a program that can push me to be the best I can be on the floor," Evans said. "One that can continue to help me expand my game, so I can make the most of what I can do within my career."
Defending national champion Kansas offered Evans a scholarship this summer, but Hillcrest coach H. Jackson Wood said "TCU and Minnesota are right there together up top."
Possibly the top shot blocker in high school hoops, Evans played on Team USA's U17 World Cup team that won a gold medal this summer. He averaged seven blocks per game as a junior at Hillcrest, including 10 or more blocks in five games.
"He's got stuff that not too many kids have," Wood said. "It's just a matter if he keeps progressing the way he has. He's only been playing for four years. He just keeps getting better every day."
The Gophers first started recruiting Evans after watching him play against former Colony High School (Calif.) standout Jaden Henley, who is now a freshman at the U. They played together for Team Inland's AAU program in San Bernadino.
Inland AAU coach Elvert "Kool-Aid" Perry said Henley having a solid experience with Johnson's program so far has helped the Gophers in their pursuit of Evans.
Rolling Meadows guard Cameron Christie, the No. 1 senior in Illinois, has already committed to Minnesota, but Evans would be the program's highest-rated recruit since Kris Humphries of Hopkins in 2003.
"Dennis would change the game for them because he's a tremendous shot blocker," Perry said. "Dennis is a lot better offensive player than people imagine. He can shoot the three. If he comes there, they'll be in the [NCAA] tournament."
