Gophers men’s basketball lands first recruit for 2025, Philadelphia guard Kai Shinholster

Gophers men’s basketball coach Ben Johnson landed his first commitment in the 2025 high school recruiting class with Philadelphia guard Kai Shinholster, who announced his decision Tuesday on social media.

The 6-5, 170-pound senior from William Penn Charter School had an official visit with the Gophers last weekend. He also had scholarship offers from programs such as Mississippi State, Florida Gulf Coast, James Madison, Rhode Island and Temple.

Last season, Shinholster helped lead Penn Charter to its first outright league title in 20 years. An under-the-radar three-star prospect, Shinholster heard from Johnson and his Gophers assistants often after having a standout July AAU period for K-Low Elite on the Adidas grassroots summer circuit. The Gophers offered him a scholarship in late July.

“I could tell Coach Johnson definitely believes in his guys, which is something that’s very important to me,” Shinholster said. “He gives the guys the freedom to be basketball players and not robots. He doesn’t care where you came from in high school or how many stars you have. That’s something I really like about him.”

With a senior-heavy backcourt this season, Johnson needs to start loading up on perimeter talent for the following year. Shinholster, known for his three-point shooting and slashing ability, adds depth alongside current freshman point guard Isaac Asuma.

The Gophers are still focusing recruiting efforts on top 2025 targets Amari Allen from Wisconsin and Tommy Ahneman from Cretin-Derham Hall. They both joined Shinholster hanging out with Gophers coaches and players at last week’s U football opener against North Carolina.

“The time I spent with the team definitely stood out to me,” Shinholster said about his visit. “That really helped me make my decision and push the Gophers over the top for me.”

A four-star 6-7 combo guard from Ashwaubenon (Wis.), Allen also made his official visit with the Gophers last week before an unofficial with Alabama. He also has scheduled trips to Mississippi State, Nevada and Wisconsin this month.

The 6-10 Ahneman visits the Gophers officially on Oct. 5, but that comes after trips to Wisconsin, Nebraska and Notre Dame starting in mid-September.