Ryan Saunders spends time with Gophers, praises Ben Johnson's coaching

ANN ARBOR, MICH. – Ryan Saunders has been impressed with Ben Johnson's commitment to alumni after being hired as Gophers men's basketball coach in the spring.

Saunders, the former Gophers player and Timberwolves coach, made the trip to Michigan with the Gophers as he enjoyed a couple of days around the team this week.

"Anybody who knows Ben can't be surprised the job that he's done so far and he will do in Minnesota," Saunders said Saturday. "It's a special place, especially when you're from there you feel that. Ben has so much love for this program, and I've loved spending more time with him."

Dismissed as Wolves coach in November 2020 during his third season, Saunders said he is hoping for another opportunity to coach in the NBA after having 12 years of league experience, including as an assistant.

But Saunders said being able to follow the Gophers has been fun to start the season.

Saunders, who played for the Gophers under Dan Monson and Tubby Smith from 2004 to '08, got to watch practices and meetings at the team's Athletes Village facility earlier in the week. He also signed the alumni wall next to Johnson's office that reads "Committed 2 Family."

"Being able to see what he's doing after being around them the last day and a half, seeing the culture he has with his team, is special," Saunders said. "It's something people should want to be a part of. He has a unique way of connecting and I'm thrilled that he's [coaching] the Gophers. He's done a great job of connecting the past and the present and talking about the future."

Saunders cherishes being around his wife and son, Lucas, more often. But he's also looking forward to being an adjunct professor at the University of Northwestern (St. Paul) for the spring 2022 semester in March.

Diversity progress

Saturday's game between the Gophers and Wolverines was the first meeting between Black men's basketball coaches in the Big Ten since the 2007-08 season.

The significance of the moment wasn't lost on Johnson facing Michigan's Juwan Howard after he was one of league's three minority men's hoops hires in the offseason, including Penn State's Micah Shrewsberry and Indiana's Mike Woodson.

"I have so much respect for Juwan and what he's been able to do with that program," Johnson said Saturday. "It is kind of cool when you look back on it to see in the Power Five at two pretty prestigious schools to have two minority coaches."

There are now a single-season high five Black men's basketball coaches in the Big Ten, including Maryland interim coach Danny Manning.

Michigan for unity

The Wolverines played the song "Lift Every Voice and Sing" before the national anthem before Saturday's game against the Gophers.

Both teams and the crowd stood and observed a moment of silence to promote unity and inclusion. The song known as the Black national anthem was played before all Big Ten basketball games last season, including at Williams Arena.

Michigan and Nebraska are among the only teams in the conference still having that pregame moment this year.