5 biggest takeaways from Niko Medved's introductory Gophers press conference

Medved touched on a lot of topics during his first time talking to the media.

Gophers AD Mark Coyle (left) with new men's basketball head coach Niko Medved (right) | Picture via: @tonyliebert (X)

Niko Medved was officially introduced as the 19th head coach of Gophers men's basketball on Tuesday. He touched on plenty of topics during his introductory press conference, but let's look at what was most notable.

1. "You ain't getting out of the Barn alive"

The best quote of the entire press conference came when Medved was asked about Williams Arena. He wants Minnesota's historic venue to be a strength of the program, and he wants opposing teams to be scared to play in Dinkytown. During this coaching search, it was a hot topic discussion more than ever, but Medved clearly plans to restore the arena to its former glory.

2. "(St. Thomas) doesn't want anything to do with us"

A close competitor for the best quote of the press conference happened after Medved was asked about whether or not he plans to play St. Thomas. He seemed incredibly open to the idea, and it just seems like a matter of time before they play an annual series, but he first had some friendly banter about the Tommies. The Gophers had the only Division I program in the state for nearly 100 years, and he seems excited to prove that they're still in their own class.

3. Showing respect to Ben Johnson

After Medved acknowledged his family, the first thing he mentioned was his "friend" Ben Johnson. He pointed out that Johnson is "part of Gopher basketball history," and "he’s always welcome around Gophers basketball." If there was ever 'winning the press conference,' Medved's decision to mention Johnson wrapped that up rather quickly as an incredibly classy move.

4. Retaining Dave Thorson

When the hire was made official, it seemed obvious that Thorson would remain on the Gophers staff. He left his longtime post as DeLaSalle's head basketball coach to join Medved's first staff at Drake, and he followed him to Colorado State. He's one of the most well-respected faces in Minnesota basketball, so the decision to mention his plan to retain him at the press conference was another classy move.

5. NIL/financial discussion

A major talking point of Tuesday's press conference was Minnesota's Name Image Likeness (NIL) situation and how they plan to enter the new world of revenue sharing. He did a great job answering any question regarding the Gophers' situation. He didn't plead and beg for fans to donate more money; he realizes that he needs to build something fans want to invest in, and I believe that is the approach you need to take in this modern landscape.

There was also a large contingent of players from the 2024-25 Gophers team in attendance. Highlighted by Parker Fox and Dawson Garcia, Isaac Asuma, Brennan Rigsby and Grayson Grove. Building a 2025-26 roster is now the next step in the process, and Medved seems excited to do it.

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