Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
It’s hard to believe that recruiting for basketball is over, but it is for the Richard Pitino and his Golden Gophers. Didn’t the Gophers just win the NIT Championship? Geez, they move fast.
Anyway, the Gophers added three players to this year’s recruiting class. Gaston Diedhiou, Bakary Konate and Zach Lofton are now all Dinkytown bound. Pitino had already signed three other recruits this season: Nate Mason, Carlos Morris and Josh Martin.
Let’s check out some fun facts from the three newbies to the Barn via the press release from the University of Minnesota. (You can read that release here)
Zach Lofton will redshirt this season as he is a transfer from Illinois State University. Lofton is a St. Paul native that lead Columbia Heights to the State Championship game a couple tournaments ago. This will be Lofton’s third school after attending San Jacinto College in Texas his Freshman year and Illinois State last season.
Gaston Diedhiou is a native of Senegal and a forward that stands 6’9”. He speaks three languages fluently: French, Spanish and English.
Bakary Konate is originally from Mali, a country in West Africa, but has most recently been at the Sunrise Christian Academy in Wichita, Kansas. He is a center and stands 6’11”.
The Gophers will return four starters and eight letter-winners this upcoming season, season two under Coach Rick Pitino.