The University of Minnesota men’s basketball team has landed a new point guard through the transfer portal.

Elijah Hawkins announced this week that he’s committed to the Gophers after visiting over the weekend.

KSTP Sports’ Darren ‘Doogie’ Wolfson spoke with Hawkins, via Zoom, to find out why he chose the Gophers.

***Click the video box above to watch our conversation with Hawkins***

As a sophomore last season for Howard University, Hawkins started 29 of the 31 games he played in and averaged 12.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game while shooting 44.1% from the field and 46.6% from three.

“Elijah is a mature young man, who has always been a winner,” Gophers coach Ben Johnson said in a released statement. “He’s a tough, gritty competitor that plays with an edge. Elijah has an alpha mentality and really loves to work on his craft. We’re excited to add another playmaking guard with NCAA tournament experience to the roster.”

Hawkins told KSTP that North Carolina State, Ole Miss, Richmond, and Utah were in his mix. He has two years of eligibility remaining.