July 1, 2021: Three-star Pueblo, Colorado forward Kadyn Betts committed to the Gophers Friday morning, becoming the first player to join the University of Minnesota’s 2023 recruiting class.
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Head coach Ben Johnson and the Gophers got their first verbal commitment of the 2023 recruiting class from Pueblo, Col. forward Kadyn Betts Friday. Listed at 6-foot-8, Betts chose Minnesota over top offers from Nebraska, Colorado State, and Wyoming. 247sports rates him as the No. 4 player in Colorado, while Prep Hoops ranks him as the No. 87 overall player in the country.
1000% Committed!!!〽️
Huge thanks to my coaches, and family for supporting and helping me throughout this journey!!@GopherMBB #Gophers @CoachBenJohnson @CoachMJenks @PLUTOBasketball pic.twitter.com/w2Ymb5O1LU— Kadyn Betts (@BettsKadyn) July 1, 2022
Who is Kadyn Betts?:
- Scouting Report:
**High School highlights**
Instant Reaction:
For some reason, 247sports does not have a national ranking for Betts, but it seems like the consensus from other sites, such as Prep Hoops is that this guy is a top-100 talent. This reminds me a bit of the Jaden Henley signing last offseason. Kadyn Betts seems like a very quick-rising prospect that will only improve his ranking on any recruiting site. He clearly fits the mold of the type of forward that Ben Johnson likes, and a bunch of 6-foot-5 to 6-foot-8 wings seems to be where basketball is trending. For example Kansas last season could throw Christian Braun, Ochai Agbaji and David McCormick at any team in the country.
While watching Betts, I was really impressed with his versatility and I think he seriously has NBA potential. Playing next season at a program like Huntington Prep will only help his development and I think the Gophers could’ve really found a diamond in the rough with this pickup.
What is next?:
Parker Fox’s second ACL tear in 14 months certainly hurt the Gophers’ depth heading into next season. As for a potential look into the 2023-24 season, there are a lot of questions to still be answered. Battle and Garcia have a realistic possibility of turning pro, while everyone other than Taurus Samuels would have a chance to return. Speculation at this point is a bit unnecessary, but nevertheless, Betts has really exciting potential for when he joins the Gophers.
- G: Ta’Lon Cooper
- G: Braeden Carrington/Jaden Henley
- F: Jamison Battle/Isaiah Ihnen/Joshua Ola-Joseph
- PF: Parker Fox/Treyton Thompson/Kadyn Betts
- F/C: Dawson Garcia/Pharrel Payne
- *Walk-ons: Will Ramberg (F), Jackson Purcell (SG)