Gophers men’s basketball adds another guard with Western Michigan’s Chansey Willis Jr.

Western Michigan transfer Chansey Willis Jr. didn’t have to take any more visits once he was done touring the University of Minnesota’s campus and facilities.

Since high school, Willis and his family saw him as a high-major talent, so he committed to the Gophers men’s basketball team and new coach Niko Medved after visiting last weekend.

“I’m excited for him, the school and the coaching staff,” said Willis’ mother, Carol Bush. “He’ll do great things there. I always knew he could play Division I and Big Ten basketball. That was never a question. It was just the path took him a little longer. I knew he would get here.”

Willis, who earned All-Mid American Conference second-team honors, put the Gophers in a better spot with point guard depth after officially signing Monday.

As a 6-2, 190-pound junior this past season, Willis averaged 16.8 points, 5.8 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals. He missed the first eight games of the season because of injuries, but he made his D-I debut in the Twin Cities on Dec. 13 while putting up 13 points, eight rebounds and five assists in a 77-71 loss at St. Thomas.

Willis scored in double figures in 22 games last season for the Broncos, including 34 points and eight assists against Ohio and 28 points, eight rebounds and five steals against Akron.

“Chansey is a great playmaker who makes others around him better,” Medved said in a statement. “He is a dynamic scorer who can use his speed to his advantage. In addition, he’s a great two-way player and we’re excited to have him on our team.”

Willis’ mother said her son’s high school basketball and football recruiting was limited due to the lack of exposure during the pandemic.

“If he had multiple football offers, I believe Chansey would’ve switched to become a college football player,” Bush said. “I think the NFL would’ve been his goal. However, he loved basketball, too. His path ended up a little different.”

Willis ended up at Division II Saginaw Valley State as a freshman in 2022-23 and averaged 12.0 points and 4.8 assists in 20 games. In 2023-24, he averaged 20.0 points and 7.0 assists at Henry Ford College before getting his first D-I opportunity with Western Michigan this past season.

Point guard is arguably the most coveted position in the transfer portal. Willis received strong interest from a long list of high major programs, including Clemson, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.

“I told him when we were headed to the [Minneapolis-St. Paul] airport last night, ‘This is what you’ve been waiting for. And now is your time to show it,‘” Bush said. “We high-fived each other.”

On Sunday, Northern Colorado’s 6-4 transfer Langston Reynolds committed to the Gophers. He signed officially Monday and brings size, athleticism and scoring punch to the backcourt as well. Reynolds was a All-Big Sky first team performer last season.

“I’m excited to play with Chansey,” Reynolds said. “We talked a little bit, but I just know once we get on campus it will be really good.”