Isaac Asuma, Grayson Grove announce they’ll be back with the Gophers next season

After his introductory news conference Tuesday, new Gophers men’s basketball coach Niko Medved met with freshman guard Isaac Asuma, hoping to keep him in the program.

Asuma didn’t wait long to say that he would return for next season.

The former four-star recruit announced on social media Wednesday afternoon that “Minnesota is home, can’t wait to get started building for next season!”

The 6-3 Cherry, Minn., native averaged 5.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists this season. His 24.7 minutes per game was top 10 in the Big Ten among freshmen.

Before Asuma’s announcement Wednesday, Medved talked glowingly about the talented young guard, saying, “I would be absolutely blessed to coach him.”

Medved also talked with 6-9 freshman Grayson Grove from Alexandria. Grove, who redshirted this season, posted later Wednesday afternoon on Instagram: “Gophers fans, we are just getting started. I’m in.”

“I talked to them about our vision,” Medved said about Asuma and Grove. “Those are guys who are important for us to try to keep. That would be a big boost right out of the gate.”

As of Wednesday early afternoon, Medved said Grove and Asuma were the players he had spoken to from the current roster. Sophomore forward Kadyn Betts, senior guard Tyler Cochran and senior guard Brennan Rigsby, who have eligibility remaining, attended Tuesday’s news conference for the new coach.

But Betts and Cochran entered the transfer portal before Medved was hired Monday.

“What I want with all of our players here — I’m a really brutally honest guy in a great way,” Medved said. “I want some people to feel like their opportunity is going to be what they want here. That’s really important to me. There’s still a few guys I have to connect with.”

Medved’s top assistant at Colorado State, Ali Farokhmanesh, was hired Wednesday to replace him as Rams head coach.

“He’s a terrific young coach,” Medved said before the news. “That’s going to have an impact on what we do here with the rest of the staff.”

Farokhmanesh would have been a candidate to join Medved’s staff with the Gophers. Already expected to be on the Minnesota staff are former Gophers assistant Dave Thorson, former Colorado State assistant Brian Cooley and former Rams player development director Joe De Ciman.