Niko Medved will retain Dave Thorson on Gophers men's basketball staff

Thorson has been an assistant coach at the U since Ben Johnson was hired in 2021.

Minnesota assistant coach Dave Thorson reacts against Pittsburgh during the second half at the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh on Nov. 30, 2021. | Charles LeCalire / Imagn Images

Niko Medved said he didn't want to put Dave Thorson on the spot, but that didn't exactly go according to plan.

The new Gophers men's basketball coach was asked about filling out his coaching staff and roster during his introductory press conference on Tuesday at the University of Minnesota's Athletes Village practice courts in Minneapolis while Thorson, an assistant for the U and interim coach following Ben Johnson's firing, was present in the back of the room.

"I can say this, unless he doesn't want to be here, Dave Thorson will have the opportunity to stay with us," Medved said. "... I hope that's what happens. I don't want to put Dave on the spot here, but I think he's all in. Can we count on you, Dave?"

Thorson responded with a thumbs up.

"See? We're a go, you just heard it here," Medved said.

It was expected, but that's one hire officially done. Thorson joined the Gophers staff after Johnson was hired by the program in 2021, and he previously served as an assistant coach at Drake and Colorado State under Medved, who spent the last eight years coaching the Rams. Thorson served as the U's interim coach until Medved was hired on Monday.

In addition to Thorson, it appears Medved already has a couple other positions on his staff secured as he intends to retain some of his crew from Colorado State. Two names he mentioned were Brian Cooley, who was an assistant coach for the Rams this season, and Joe de Ciman, their director of player development. Both were in attendance for Tuesday's presser.

As far as the roster, that's a process. Medved said he hopes to retain players currently on the roster — standout freshman Isaac Asuma among them — but hasn't began discussions with his players from Colorado State, which lost to Maryland in heartbreaking fashion on a Derik Queen buzzer beater in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday.

"As far as players at our other program, I'm not ready to go there yet," Medved said. "Gotta understand guys, I was in Seattle trying to beat Maryland to go to the Sweet 16 ... and 20 hours later, I'm here in Minneapolis. It's the way that the world works today. So I think for those guys, I told every one of them when I talked to them how much I love them, how proud I am of them and they just need to take a couple of days here to process what happened, to be proud of what they did and enjoy because I don't want to take that from them, they've earned that. And so those things are for another day."