Ben Johnson has his eyes on 7-2 center Daniel Jacobsen who is planning a visit this fall after picking up an offer from the Gophers basketball team Monday.
Gophers basketball coach Ben Johnson and former Minnesota coach Richard Pitino both offer 7-2 center Daniel Jacobsen
Brewster Academy (N.H.) big man Daniel Jacobsen, who lives in New Mexico, was offered scholarships this month by the Gophers and Lobos — setting up a unique recruiting battle.
July 21, 2023 at 4:18PM
"I have talked to them quite a bit the last couple weeks," said Jacobsen, who was one of the top center prospects recently at the Nike Peach Jam in South Carolina.
There's also a familiar name to Gophers fans recruiting the Class of 2025 big man: Richard Pitino.
Jacobsen, who transferred to Brewster Academy in New Hampshire in June, played at La Cueva High in Albuquerque, N.M. in 2021-22 and Legacy Early in South Carolina last season. Pitino took over the New Mexico job after being fired in Minnesota in 2021.
"I'm actually from Chicago and have only lived in [New Mexico] for two years," Jacobsen said, "but I still like the Lobos and appreciate them recruiting me."
You don't often see mid-major programs beat out Big Ten teams for prospects, let alone a head coach recruiting against his former school. But the New Mexico ties made offering Jacobsen an easy choice for Pitino, who finished 22-11 with ex-Gophers guard Jamal Mashburn Jr. leading the Lobos in scoring last season.
The Gophers liked what they saw in Jacobsen as well, playing for his AAU program JL3 Elite from Texas during the July recruiting period. Johnson and U assistant Marcus Jenkins offered him. He also received offers from Illinois and Xavier last week.
"We talked about how they play, and how I would fit into the system – also about setting up a visit," Jacobsen said about the Gophers.
Jacobsen is a shot-blocking presence, but he's also comfortable on the perimeter and has three-point range. He watches Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen in the NBA and UConn's Donovan Clingan and Duke's Kyle Filipowski in college.
"[The Gophers] like to play through their bigs," Jacobsen said. "Since I'm able to stretch the floor and shoot, I wouldn't be stuck on the block."
In the 2025 class, the Gophers have so far offered eight players, but none of them are from Minnesota. Johnson's top junior targets are from seven different states, including Arkansas, California, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts and Wisconsin.
The Gophers football coach said the Big Ten’s decision to reposition line judges for onside kicks “makes it better for every team in our conference.”
