Watch: David Roddy and Parker Fox react to Niko Medved taking over Gophers men’s basketball program
With the Niko Medved taking over the Gophers steam happening for weeks, KSTP Sports has spoken with a number of people to get a better sense of where this program is headed.
Now, the news is official as of Monday, with Medved set to be introduced at a press conference Tuesday at noon.
Former Breck HS and Colorado State Rams star David Roddy spoke with our Darren ‘Doogie’ Wolfson on Monday. Medved had a lot to do with Roddy being a 1st round NBA draft pick in 2022. Roddy is now with the Rockets on a 2-way contract.
***Click the video box above to watch our conversation with Roddy***
Wolfson also sat down on Monday with Gophers forward Parker Fox. After eight years, Fox’s collegiate run is over. But he has plenty of thoughts on the direction of the program now under Medved’s watch.
***Click the video box below to watch our Parker Fox conversation, or if on our app, swipe to the right***
Medved agreed to a six-year contract.
Medved was the front-runner from the start to succeed Ben Johnson, who was fired on March 13 after going 56-71 overall and 22-57 in the Big Ten in four years on the job. Minnesota athletic director Mark Coyle has been eager to revitalize a struggling program that has made the NCAA Tournament twice in the last 12 seasons.
“This really is a dream job for me,” Medved said in a statement distributed by the university. “I loved my time at Colorado State, and I worked with tremendous people who made a lasting impact on my life. Those are memories that I will cherish forever. This job was too special to pass up, and when the opportunity presented itself, I had to take it.”
Colorado State went 26-10 this season, upsetting No. 5 seed Memphis 78-70 in the first round and losing 72-71 in the second round to No. 4 seed Maryland on a buzzer-beating bank shot. This was the third time in seven years under Medved that the Rams hit the 25-win mark and made the NCAA Tournament out of the Mountain West, perennially one of the strongest mid-major conferences in the country.
The Associated Press contributed to this report