Best shot blocker in high school basketball? New Gophers recruit Dennis Evans is a swat machine

The college basketball recruiting landscape rocked a bit with the Gophers getting a commitment Monday from 7-1 Dennis Evans, possibly the top shot blocker in all of high school hoops.

Evans, rated as high as a five-star recruit, could have gone to defending national champion Kansas. He also could've gone to TCU, the other finalist. Both programs were in this week's preseason top 25.

Evans felt he fit in right away with coach Ben Johnson's staff and players. The Gophers told him there's a great chance for him to make an immediate impact in the Big Ten.

The U's 2023 recruiting class with Evans is currently ranked 30th by the 247Sports composite and 16th by Rivals, and includes four-star guard Cameron Christie, the No. 1 senior in Illinois.

On Monday, Evans talked about the area of his game that could instantly be a game-changer for the Gophers his freshman year: shot-blocking.

Protecting the rim is a skill that he had to develop over time to perform at an elite level. It's not just about size and length, although he does have a 7-foot-7 wingspan and 9-6 standing reach, measurements that would have ranked first and second in the 2022 NBA draft combine.

"When I was younger, my favorite was definitely [Dikembe] Mutombo," Evans said of the NBA Hall of Famer and one of the all-time great rim protectors. "He was a really smart big. He kept his hands up and waited for the person to go up before trying to block them."

Evans was 6-7 in seventh grade when he began playing basketball. He was a 7-footer by the time he was in 10th grade. Swatting shots was his biggest strength, but "I just kept getting better and better."

Last season Evans blocked 16 shots in Riverside Hillcrest's win against nearby Norte Vista, tied for fifth most in California prep history. He blocked 211 shots in 2021-22. He has a shot at 600 blocks in his high school career, which would be fifth most in state history, according to CalHiSports.com.

"When I was younger that was the best thing I could do," Evans said. "I got a little bit more stable with my body. I realized that if I swing it's going to be a foul. I have to keep my hands up and know when to actually [block] the ball."

Hillcrest coach Jackson Wood noticed the biggest jump with Evans after his sophomore season. Evans trained early mornings consistently with his AAU coach and cousin to come back to school as "a completely different player."

In that school-record-setting game where Evans had 16 blocks, "he could've easily had 20," his high school coach said.

"Dennis just does some things I don't teach," Wood said. "He's got good timing and instincts. The length to go with it. He does phenomenal stuff that even catches me by surprise still. I see it pretty much every day. It's interesting to see how officials officiate to him, especially with the goaltending calls. They call some goaltends on him that are really good blocks. He does some crazy stuff."

His dad is a 7-footer, so Evans might still be growing (some recruiting analysts say he's closer to 7-2). The biggest areas to improve during his senior year will be becoming a consistent scoring presence and adding muscle.

"I still weigh around 210-215," Evans said. "So I will definitely spend the next few months, as well as this summer, getting ready. So my body is prepared to not only be strong enough but be able to boost my athleticism — my movement and jumping — so I'm in the best shape possible to be able to come in and contribute."

The U's future big man on campus is eager to see how much better Johnson's team can be this season. Top returning scorer and rebounder Jamison Battle has help, especially inside with transfer Dawson Garcia and freshman Pharrel Payne.

Evans saw the 6-9, 255-pound Payne more than holding his own in practice and feels excited about their future together as young talent in the U's frontcourt.

"It will definitely be a really cool learning experience," Evans said. "I get to talk to him about how playing [freshman year] has been. And then I'll continue to learn alongside him as we play and get better at it together."