Gophers introduce Niko Medved as men's basketball coach: 'It feels surreal'

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Niko Medved was introduced as the new University of Minnesota men’s basketball coach on Tuesday at Athletes Village.

Medved signed a six-year contract to be the new face of the Gophers, just days after leading Colorado State to its third NCAA Tournament appearance in seven seasons. Medved arrived in Minneapolis Monday night, and was in Gophers’ gear.

It’s a full-circle moment for the Roseville native. He was a Minnesota student manager and an assistant coach under Dan Monson before starting his head coaching journey. Medved’s parents still have season tickets.

"I grew up going to games, I love the energy in The Barn. It’s just a magical place. To be back here right now it feels surreal," Medved said. "I just feel like now is the time. Now is the time more than ever that Minnesota is poised to take the next step forward."

Gophers Athletic Director Mark Coyle made it very clear Medved was his primary target to replace Ben Johnson. Medved won 143 games with the Rams, including a 26-10 mark this season before losing to Maryland on a buzzer-beater in the NCAA Tournament’s round of 32.

"If you look at Niko and his background, winners win. If you look at some of the coaches we’ve brought in the past few years, they’ve all had a proven track record of winning at a high level and doing things the right way," Coyle said. "There’s no doubt in my mind we’ve found the right person to lead our young men in this program."

Saluting Ben Johnson

Why you should care:

Before saying anything about himself or coming home, Medved acknowledged Johnson. He lasted four seasons in Minnesota, but was fired after the Gophers went 15-17 last season, and 7-13 in the Big Ten.

He finished 22-57 in Big Ten play, and struggled in the new world of the transfer portal and NIL.

"Ben is my friend, I’ve known Ben forever, he’s part of Gopher basketball history. He poured his heart and soul into this program and he’s always going to be a part of this program," Medved said. "I hope Ben knows he’s always welcome around Gopher basketball."

Team Together

Dig deeper:

P.J. Fleck, who was at Tuesday’s news conference, brought the "Row the Boat" slogan to the football program eight years ago. Medved’s slogan is "Team Together," and he’s bringing it to Minnesota.

His message? To get the Gophers where he wants them to go, it’ll take everyone. That means the right coaching staff, the right players and the resources to get them to Minnesota.

"My players would tell you I’m the most competitive person they’ve been around. I may not come across like that all the time, but I’m a competitive dude," Medved said. "I really value team, I got into coaching because I want to be part of something bigger than myself. To be great, you need everybody involved. It’s a slogan, but we try to live that as a way of life."

What about Williams Arena?

What they're saying:

Outside of the head coach, the Gophers’ home venue might be the most scrutinized thing about the basketball program. Williams Arena needs a facelift, but can it be renovated while keeping its old school charm? Many colleges are building brand-new arenas.

Medved says he wants to keep the integrity of Williams Arena alive. He references Fog Allen Fieldhouse at Kansas, and Cameron Indoor Stadium at Duke.

"I’ve heard all of the knocking of The Barn. Here’s the thing about The Barn, I think we can turn that into a strength. Everybody is talking about this is the problem, I think it can be a strength," Medved said. "I think it’s one of the most historic venues in all of college basketball. When that place is packed, there’s a certain energy in there that’s different. There’s ghosts in Williams Arena, in a good way. You ain’t getting out of The Barn alive. I look at it that way."

Scheduling St. Thomas?

Why you should care:

One of the biggest criticisms of Johnson's tenure at Minnesota was not having St. Thomas, new to Division I, on the non-conference schedule. The two schools are separated only by the Mississippi River, and the Tommies went all the way to the Summit League Conference Tournament title game this year, despite not being eligible for March Madness. Will Medved put the Tommies on his schedule?

"Oooooohh. I tried to get St. Thomas to play us, but they don't want anything to do with us… That's a joke everybody," Medved said with a smile. "I've talked to Johnny (Tauer). I'm begging him to play and he doesn't even want to play. No, I'm open to that for sure. I think it's really cool to see them doing what they're doing, I think that's awesome. If you play St. Thomas, you better buckle up because they're really good. I could see that happening, if they'll play."

The NIL issue

What you can do:

Simply put: Give your money to Minnesota's NIL collective, Dinkytown Athletes, if you want to do your part to give the Gophers their best chance to compete.

Johnson's Gophers went 9-11 in the Big Ten two years ago and won a game in the NIT. The consensus was if the top players stayed, Minnesota would be a top-half team in the Big Ten this past season. Johnson might still be the coach. Instead, Pharrell Payne, Elijah Hawkins, Joshua Ola-Joseph and Braeden Carrington all left for more NIL money at other schools, and Cam Christie left for the NBA. Coyle has vowed that between NIL and upcoming revenue sharing, men's basketball will get the resources it needs to be competitive in the Big Ten.

Medved and Coyle have to get the state to support the program, and big things could happen. That means the basketball program needs more money for its roster. It's that simple. Fans now have a say in that more than ever.

"You can’t win if you don’t, everybody understands that. I believe there’s plenty of people here that want to get behind and support this. Fans and people have an opportunity to directly impact our success in a way that they’ve never been able to before," Medved said. "Let’s hope people today go out right after this and join Dinkytown Athletes, right?"

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