Gophers miss out on NBA Hall of Famer's son: What's next for Niko Medved?

· Yahoo Sports

Four-star guard Malik Olajuwon was one of the Gophers’ biggest targets in the class of 2027, but he’s now off the board after verbally committing to SMU on Thursday.

Niko Medved and his staff have already landed a commitment from four-star forward Isaiah Santos, but will they chase another after missing out on the son of NBA Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon?

Visit michezonews.co.za for more information.

Olajuwon received an offer from Minnesota in July, and he made it to campus for an official visit on Sep. 18. Minnesota appeared to be firmly in the mix for him, but he committed to the Mustangs less than two weeks later.

Recruiting at the high school level continues to look different alongside the ongoing changes to eligibility at the college level. The 2027 cycle is especially different with the new five-for-five rule implemented by the NCAA this summer. A huge portion of college basketball players have received an extra year, which limits the number of open roster spots across the country for the 2027-28 season.

Despite Minnesota having 15 players on its current roster, it landed a commitment from Santos, who could become a true building block in the class. He’s a legit four-star prospect, and the type of player who could be an instant contributor. Olajuwon would’ve given them a talented guard, but they will now shift their focus elsewhere.

Strategy for 2027

If Minnesota’s 2027 class is just Santos, it wouldn’t be the end of the world, based on who they could have coming back in 2027-28. You never want to expect zero transfer portal exits, but you also want to have some flexibility in roster construction if only one or two happen.

The Gophers offered five-star guard Jordan Page in May, but there doesn’t appear to be much steam there. He has taken official visits to UConn and North Carolina.

Minnesota native Ahmed Nur remains a potential target as well, but he will continue to receive interest from dozens of programs across the country. If Minnesota wants to add another player in the 2027 cycle, it could be a situation where they wait until after the upcoming high school season and look at adding a late riser.

Getting a head start on 2028

If Medved and his staff are happy with the 2027 class, they could look ahead to 2028. They offered scholarships to four-star guards Quentin Mosby and Parker McDaniel on Wednesday. It’s still incredibly early in their cycles, but it might make sense to hit next year’s class with more intention, as the Gophers are set to lose more of the roster that offseason.

Ultimately, losing a high school recruiting target isn’t as impactful as it used to be. The Gophers have options for building future rosters, but it will be interesting to see which avenue Medved and his staff choose.

We are in the age of big media consolidation and content networks. But even with the proliferation of AI, nothing can beat the quality and inherent knowledge of local sports journalism. Our writing room consists of a Wildcat, a Gopher, and even a Mustang. We know the Minnesota towns and the great names that played on its diamonds, courts, fields or rinks. Subscribe NOW to the new Bring Me The Sports newsletter. We would appreciate your readership and support!

Related Articles

This story was originally published by Bring Me The Sports on Oct 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the MN Gophers section. Add Bring Me The Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Read full story at source