KSTP Sports’ Chris Long sat down with new Gophers men’s basketball coach Niko Medved last week to discuss basketball, family and the future of college basketball.

His hiring means a homecoming for Medved, a U of M alum and graduate of Roseville Area High School. Medved got his coaching start with the Gophers, hired as a student manager and assistant before going on to a full-time position at Macalester College.

Medved coached teams at Furman and Drake before his most recent job at Colorado State, where he compiled a 143-85 record over seven seasons and led the Rams to three NCAA Tournament appearances in the last four years. In this year’s tournament, CSU advanced to the Round of 32, falling to No. 4 seed Maryland on a buzzer-beater.

***Click the video box on this page to watch KSTP’s full one-on-one interview with Gophers men’s basketball coach Niko Medved***

Medved now begins the rebuilding process of a roster that lost its five top scorers to graduation and four bench players to the transfer portal.