Gophers basketball likes frontcourt options with Dawson Garcia in fold

A small crowd gathered around Dawson Garcia and Jamison Battle as they chatted and posed for pictures with fans Wednesday afternoon after an appearance at the University of Minnesota's State Fair stage.

Not surprisingly, the 6-11, 235-pound Garcia, a transfer from North Carolina, was a major attraction.

The former McDonald's All-American out of Prior Lake had recently been granted immediate eligibility by the NCAA to play for the Gophers basketball team this season.

"As soon as Coach found out, he let me know," Garcia said Wednesday. "He was very excited and thrilled to get to work."

Now that Garcia is officially playing at the Barn this season, Gophers second-year coach Ben Johnson likes all the lineup options with the versatile junior forward alongside the 6-7 sharpshooting Battle, last season's leading scorer and rebounder.

"He gives you that versatility," Johnson said of Garcia. "He can stretch you out to three. He can make plays off the catch and shoot it. He's a good ball handler and willing passer. He's got really good versatility and happens to be 6-11. Because of that, it allows you do different things with him."

Garcia teaming up with Battle will give the U one of the most dynamic frontcourt tandems in the Big Ten this season.

The Gophers also need Battle and Garcia to provide leadership for a much younger group behind them — freshmen Pharrel Payne, Kadyn Betts and Josh Ola-Joseph and sophomore Treyton Thompson.

"Just coming in, I'm an older guy now, which still feels weird for me," Garcia said. "We've got a lot of freshmen who are very talented, and any words of wisdom I can give them I know will be beneficial for the team."

The U's projected starting lineup right now likely includes Garcia and Battle. But Johnson said he will consider having them and Payne playing together this year.

The 6-9, 230-pound Payne has been arguably the most impressive freshman this summer. Knee injuries to veteran forwards Isaiah Ihnen and Parker Fox opens up more playing time in the rotation for the gifted young big man from Cottage Grove.

"I think for sure," Johnson said. "The way we play and the injuries this summer, we can't limit ourselves. We have to be able to find time to put unique lineups on the court at the same time. How much will that be? I don't know. That will be determined how far guys develop. But there will for sure be times when there's Jamison, Dawson, Pharrel or Jamison, Dawson, and Treyton."

Garcia was preparing this summer as if he would be able to make an immediate impact, but there were no guarantees until the NCAA made the decision on his waiver last week.

"I'm excited to get things started," Garcia said. "That's kind of how I was working this summer, I didn't know what the result was going to be. Obviously, I had a good feeling."