Gophers introduce new men’s basketball coach Ben Johnson
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The University of Minnesota officially introduced former Gopher basketball player and DeLaSalle high school grad Ben Johnson as the 18th head coach of the men’s basketball program.
University president Joan Gabel and athletic director Mark Coyle presented Johnson in a socially-distanced ceremony at the team’s practice facility on Tuesday.
Click the video box on this page to watch new Gopher men’s basketball coach Ben Johnson’s introductory press conference
Johnson, 40, was an assistant at the U of M from 2013-18 and also played for the Gophers for two seasons, where he was a captain and played 59 games before graduating in 2005. He was also a standout at DeLaSalle High School, where he led the team to a pair of state championships and was named an honorable mention Nike All-American.
Most recently, he was an assistant coach at Xavier University. He previously had served as an assistant under former Gophers head coach Richard Pitino.
New University of Minnesota men's head basketball coach Ben Johnson addresses the media after he was introduced Tuesday, March 23, 2021, in Minneapolis. Johnson replaces Richard Pitino, who was fired after eight seasons and took the job at New Mexico.[Jim Mone/Associated Press]
Johnson is set to sign a five-year deal with an annual base compensation of $1.95 million, according to a memorandum of understanding obtained by KSTP Sports.
The document states that Johnson’s contract will be in effect through April 2026. It did not outline the incentives that will be included in the final version of his contract. Johnson and the university have until April 30 to reach a final agreement on the exact terms.