Gophers basketball freshman Joshua Ola-Joseph emerges as surprise starter

During his team's current five-game losing streak, Gophers basketball coach Ben Johnson has been experimenting with different lineups, including starting Joshua Ola-Joseph in the past three games.

The Gophers (4-6), who host Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Wednesday at home, are still looking to get back on the winning track. In the process, they've gotten production from the least heralded player in a talented freshmen class.

The 6-7, 215-pound Ola-Joseph is playing more in his first college season than he did for one of the nation's top high school teams last year after transferring from Osseo to a prep school in Arizona.

"The biggest thing about being a starter is being able to be sharp," Ola-Joseph said after Sunday's 69-51 loss against Mississippi State. "Paying attention to what the coaches are saying, executing, and playing with an edge."

In the past four games, Ola-Joseph is averaging 10.3 points and 3.8 rebounds, shooting 48.4% from the field and 71.4% on free throws. He's been a third offensive option at times after the U's top scorers Dawson Garcia and Jamison Battle — and that's even without plays drawn up for him.

"Josh does a lot of his scoring kind of in the flow of what we do," Johnson said. "You don't have to dial stuff up for Josh as you would [other players]. He kind of gets it how he gets it in the flow of our offense. And I know he's comfortable in that role."

In the U's 2022 recruiting class, Park of Cottage Grove's Pharrel Payne was the highest rated recruit. Park Center's Braeden Carrington was Minnesota's Mr. Basketball and won a state title. Californian Jaden Henley started the first nine games this season before being replaced by grad transfer Taurus Samuels vs. Mississippi State.

Ola-Joseph played in only 10 games for AZ Compass Prep last season, but he's arguably been the most consistent Gophers freshman so far. He also ignited the Williams Arena crowd in only his second college game.

The Gophers already had a big lead on St. Francis Brooklyn on Nov. 11, but the explosive forward put a stamp on the win by jumping from outside the charge circle to throw down a dunk on a defender.

Ola-Joseph has had no shortage of highlight-reel plays since his high school days in Minnesota. Some Gophers fans compare his springy athleticism to former high-flier Rodney Williams Jr., but Ola-Joseph wants to be known as more than a spectacular dunker.

"I feel like I can bring intensity and energy," Ola-Joseph said earlier. "I'll dive on the floor and get shots for some of our best players. I can just be that glue guy as a young guy."

In Ola-Joseph's first career start Dec. 4 in the Big Ten opener at Purdue, Johnson asked him to battle 7-4, 290-pound Zach Edey to start the game. He wasn't intimidated despite giving up nine inches and 75 pounds to the Boilermaker big man. He also grabbed a career-high four offensive rebounds in the Michigan loss on Dec. 8.

Ola-Joseph said that Johnson told him to "just play my game" as a starter, which meant playing hard and being aggressive. His toughness and energy has been contagious even during the losing streak.

"I love going to work with him every single day," Garcia said. "The thing I love most about his game is he gets us extra possessions crashing the offensive glass. He's relentless at that."