Gophers Officially Sign 4 Incoming Transfers, Niko Medved Finds New Assistant

Minnesota officially made a handful of additions to its 2026-27 roster this week.

Feb 1, 2026; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach Niko Medved reacts from the bench during the first half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Bryce Jordan Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

The Gophers were active in the transfer portal this month with commitments from four different players. The team officially signed all four players earlier this week, and Niko Medved commented on all four additions. They also signed a new assistant to the 2026-27 coaching staff. Let's break it all down.

Kyan Evans, G (North Carolina)

The most significant of Minnesota's four transfer portal additions so far is Evans. He had a down year last season at North Carolina with just 4.0 points and 2.5 assists per game, but Cade Tyson's turnaround last season was enough evidence to provide optimism that Evans can do the same. He had a tremendous season in 2024-25 with Medved at Colorado State with 10.6 points and 3.1 assists per game on 47.1/44.6/85.2 shooting splits.

Mar 21, 2025; Seattle, WA, USA; Colorado State Rams guard Kyan Evans (0) drives the ball during the second half against Memphis Tigers at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

"Kyan is such a competitor with a high basketball IQ and a great playmaker," Medved said in a release. "With his experience as a high-level player, Kyan has made a lot of big shots throughout his career. I have seen first-hand what he can do, and he knows the standards and expectations from the get-go. I can't wait to bring that energy to Minnesota."

Winters Grady, G/F (Michigan)

Early rankings from the major recruiting services view Grady as Minnesota's top portal addition of the offseason. He dealt with an injury during his true freshman season at Michigan, but he was still able to practice with the national champions. He's one year removed from being a four-star high school prospect, and there's plenty of reason to think he could break out in Minnesota's system.

Michigan guard Winters Grady (10) looks on from the bench during the second half against Nebraska at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Winters is an elite shooter who just has a knack for scoring the ball. He is a tough, confident athlete that can shoot from deep and with range," Medved said in a release. "Winters has great size and can impact the game on both sides of the ball. A former top-100 recruit, he is a three-level scorer and also came from a winning program last year. We're looking forward to him being a Gopher."

Nolan Groves, G (Texas Tech)

The Gophers pursued Groves last offseason after he won the 2025 Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year award after his senior season at Orono High School, but Texas Tech swooped in with an offer he couldn't refuse. He showcased his versatility in Lubbock with 17 rebounds in his first-ever college game and tremendous defense in a nonconference game against Duke. He'll now look for an expanded role back home with the Gophers.

Texas Tech's Nolan Groves reacts to a play against Lindenwood during a non-conference men's basketball game, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, at United Supermarkets Arena. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"I'm really excited to have Nolan come back home to represent his state and the University of Minnesota," Medved said in a release. "Nolan is very versatile, both offensively and defensively. He's a skilled player with a high basketball IQ who can guard 1-4. As a part of winning programs both in high school and college, Nolan is a great fit for what we are building here at Minnesota." 

Malick Kordel, C (Michigan)

Kordel was teammates with Grady for one season at Michigan, but he's three years older. He joined the Wolverines last offseason after beginning a professional career in his home country of Germany. He's an incredibly raw talent, but at 7-foot-2, he will fill a serious need along Minnesota's frontcourt in 2026-27.

Mar 18, 2026; Buffalo, NY, USA; Michigan Wolverines center Malick Kordel (32) dunks the ball during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

"Malick is an intimidating, athletic big, who moves really well for his size," Medved said in a release. "He's a great lob threat, a rim protector and adds depth to our frontcourt. Spending a year at a high-level program, Malick knows what it's like to be on a winning team and we're excited to add him to the roster."

Assisitant coach: Lexus Williams (Boise State)

Chad Warner left the Gophers coaching staff for Clemson earlier this offseason, which gave Medved an opportunity to add a new assistant coach. Roughly one month later, they've officially announced that Williams will be joining the 2026-27 staff.

Williams is a direct branch of the Leon Rice coaching tree. He played his final season of college basketball with the Broncos in 2017-18, and then he joined the coaching staff in 2021 as an assistant to the head coach. He was promoted to a traditional assistant role in 2024-25, and he held the position for two seasons. His first Power Conference job will now be at Minnesota next season.