Gophers among favorites for 7-foot-1 senior Christian Reeves after official visit

Growing up in North Carolina, Christian Reeves had no idea how he would feel about possibly playing college basketball in the Midwest.

The Gophers and new coach Ben Johnson intrigued the Oak Hill Academy senior center enough to take a closer look.

The 7-1, 235-pound Reeves was so impressed with his official visit last week that the Gophers are now among his favorites, he told the Star Tribune in a Q&A recently. Johnson and his staff are working hard to add him to the U's 2022 recruiting class.

"I really didn't know what to expect going out there," Reeves said. "I really liked it. The city is bigger than Charlotte, but it's similar in a lot of ways. I do like that aspect of it. I could see myself playing out there. They're in my top two right now. I could definitely see myself playing out there."

Q: Where is your recruiting process right now with other visits and an announcement?

A: The only other official was with South Carolina my junior year. I took Minnesota this year. I have four more visits left. I might possibly take more official visits. As far as a timeline, it's possibly November or December. I don't have any [announcement] dates set in stone right now.

Q: When was the first time the Gophers' coaching staff saw you play?

A: Coach Johnson's first time seeing me was at Peach Jam. He liked my game. A lot of the assistant coaches were down there. As a staff they offered me that week. I believe it was the first week I was at the [Nike] EYBL session. They offered me then. We've built a relationship over the past few months. I was really interested in their school, so I took the official.

Q: Your main Gophers recruiter was assistant Marcus Jenkins. How has your relationship grown with him?

A: Coach Jenkins was actually the first coach to reach out to me. But Coach Johnson was the first one to see me play. Coach Jenkins calls me at least weekly. He checks up on how things are going. Just talking about what they've got going on and that they really want me to go there. I built a good relationship with him.

Q: What have the Gophers told you about their playing style and philosophy?

A: Coach Johnson told me about how he's played there, he was an assistant coach there and now he's the head coach. So he knows what it's like being there in every aspect. I think it's pretty cool to have a coach who can relate to you on that level. The practices they break things down. You might have two possessions in, and you break it down with a coach. You talk about what you did and didn't do well – and then you get back and do it. I like that style. It's similar to what we do at Oak Hill.

Q: How would you fit into the Gophers system?

A: My second day of the visit we sat down and watched film on some NBA players, some past players they had at Minnesota, and how I kind of would fit into their offense. He kind of compared my game to Rudy Gobert and Tim Duncan. Just to name a few. And how they have the ability to run the floor. He said that's one of the things he likes about my game. Running the floor and playing that trail spot. He wants to use me in that way.

Q: Did the Gophers sell you on how the Big Ten produces so many quality big men?

A: Yeah definitely. That was another part that they mentioned. You're going to be going against NBA level talent every time you play in that conference. Whether it's a big man or a different position. The Big Ten is known for bigs. That's pretty cool. Because I want to go against players at the highest level at my position. I did like that.

Q: Did you get to spend time on the visit with Gophers underclassmen and possible future teammates?

A: [Freshman big man] Treyton [Thompson] was my host. Now there's the NIBC [National Interscholastic Basketball Conference] that Oak Hill plays in. He played for La Lumiere, so he knows what I'm going through right now. We had a lot of similarities. I definitely had a chance to bond with some of the younger guys on the team that could be there when I'm there. Or if I decide to go there. That was pretty cool.

Q: Any thoughts on playing with the three Gophers' 2022 commitments, especially Park of Cottage Grove big man Pharrel Payne?

A: My first year they would like me to redshirt most likely. That would give me a chance to be healthy and get stronger to be ready to play in that conference. Some people might look at that as a negative, but I look at it as a positive. Just because the few injuries I've had in the past. That would allow me to get 100 percent healthy and stronger and ready for the college game.

Q: What injuries have you been battling during your high school career?

A: My foot and back primarily. The first time the [Gophers] coaching staff saw me I had a fractured foot. I was playing that whole EYBL session with a fractured foot. It's healed now. I've had two of those in my foot, but my back is good now. It's good to be back healthy. I just want to sustain a high level of play without getting injured. That's kind of something a redshirt year would allow me to do.