Bobby Durkin to Return to Gophers for 2026-27 After Breakout Shooting Season

Minnesota's top shooter will stay in Dinkytown for one more season.

Mar 4, 2026; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers forward Bobby Durkin (3) celebrates after a play against the Indiana Hoosiers during the first half at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Forward Bobby Durkin will officially return to Minnesota for the 2026-27 season, according to a post on X from the school's official NIL collective Dinkytown Athletes on Tuesday.

🔥🪣Back for his senior year 🪣🔥

Bobby Durkin will return to the Gophers for 2026-27 season

Northland Ford Dealers - Proud sponsor of Gopher Athletics 〽️ pic.twitter.com/zdzAGhLW7L

— DinkytownAthletes (@DTAthletes) March 31, 2026

Durkin was the Gophers' top transfer portal addition last offseason after a pair of successful seasons at Davidson. It took him a while to get going in the Big Ten, but he turned things on down the stretch of the season.

Durkin started 24 of 32 games, and he averaged 10.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. He came to Minnesota with the pedigree of an elite shooter, and he proved that with a 39.8% mark from long range on 6.1 attempts per game. He shot 44.1% from the field and 87.5% from the free-throw line.

When Durkin became a full-time starter, his numbers were even better. He averaged 11.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists, and he shot 42.3% from three in his 24 starts. He proved himself as one of the best shooters in the Big Ten with a 41.5% mark from three-point range in 21 conference games.

Durkin joins Jaylen Crocker-Johnson and Grayson Grove as the third Gophers player officially set to return for the 2026-27 season. He and Crocker-Johnson are shoo-ins for the starting lineup next season, which is a huge boost for Niko Medved and his staff as they look to build an NCAA Tournament-level roster.

Durkin or "Bobby Buckets" became a fan favorite among Gophers fans during conference play. In the transfer portal era, retaining players like him is huge for a program that is going through a rebuild like Minnesota. Isaac Asuma becomes the most obvious player to monitor about a potential return, while Chansey Willis Jr., Robert Vaihola and Kai Shinholster will also factor into the equation.

The transfer portal doesn't officially open until the day after the national championship on Tuesday, April 7. Medved and his staff have already gotten off to a great start with player retention, which could set them up for a big offseason, refining their roster in the transfer portal.