Analyzing Minnesota's 2026-27 Roster Outlook After Transfer Portal Haul

The Gophers have positioned themselves well heading into year two under Niko Medved.

Mar 4, 2026; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach Niko Medved claps his hands against the Indiana Hoosiers during the first half at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

North Carolina guard Kyan Evans became Minnesota's fourth transfer portal addition of the offseason on Saturday afternoon. After retaining the core of last year's roster, they've set themselves up well heading into the 2026-27 season. Let's break down where their roster currently stands.

Gophers updated roster outlook after their transfer portal haul

G: Kyan Evans
G: Isaac Asuma
F: Bobby Durkin
F: Jaylen Crocker-Johnson
C: Malick Kordel

6th: Winters Grady
7th: Nolan Groves
8th: Grayson Grove
9th: Kai Shinholster

Bench: Anderson, Tomes, Mpoyi, Lorenson pic.twitter.com/b9U6EeMtpb

— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) April 18, 2026

Potential 2026-27 rotation

• G: Kyan Evans
• G: Isaac Asuma
• F: Bobby Durkin
• F: Jaylen Crocker-Johnson
• C: Malick Kordel

I would be stunned if Evans, Asuma, Durkin or Crocker-Johnson aren't everyday starters. That leaves one starting position up for grabs. The Gophers certainly have options, and I favor Kordel getting the nod as a true center alongside Crocker-Johnson in the frontcourt.

Starting doesn't necessarily mean Kordel will play 30 minutes per game. A scenario where he's at 15-20 minutes per game, and they bump Crocker-Johnson to the five and roll with a smaller lineup is entirely possible.

• 6th: Winters Grady
• 7th: Nolan Groves
• 8th: Grayson Grove
• 9th: Kai Shinholster
• Bench: Chadrack Mpoyi, Nolen Anderson, Cedric Tomes, Max Lorenson

If Minnesota does opt for a smaller lineup, I could foresee Grady as the player who slides into the starting lineup. A trio of Grady, Groves and Grove off the bench are three legit options that are more than capable of starting if there were an injury. Mpoyi, Anderson and Tomes all have the potential to contribute as true freshmen, but they will have to earn it.

Will they add any more players?

Shinholster and Lorenson have not made a formal announcement about their returns, but they would give Minnesota 13 players out of the 15-man limit as things currently stand. I expect one of the final two roster spots to go to a walk-on type player like Lorenson or Maximus Gizzi from the 2025-26 roster.

I would expect Minnesota to make one more addition from the transfer portal, but the caliber of player remains unknown. Another post player would add some solid depth to that position, but they could also add another ball-handler. Ultimately, a significant part of the roster seems to be set. Things can change quickly in the transfer portal, so it's silly to make any guarantees.

After retaining Crocker-Johnson, Asuma, Durkin and Groves, it's hard not to be impressed by Minnesota's transfer portal haul. After an injury-riddled 2025-26 season, any additions were going to look impressive. Medved and his coaching staff clearly had a plan for how they wanted to construct this roster, and they've executed things at a high level so far.