Minnesota’s Brandon Johnson Enters Transfer Portal

Minnesota got some disappointing news this week as fans learned forward Brandon Johnson would be entering the transfer portal. This loss was to be expected with the coaching change, but will clear out the depth chart even further.

During last season, Johnson started 24 games for the Gophers and averaged 8.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. He only played one season for the program after transferring in from Western Michigan. His departure leaves an even bigger hole for new head coach Ben Johnson to fill in the frontcourt after players like Martice Mitchell and Liam Robbins also departed.

Given the massive roster turnover for the Gophers this offseason, it’s hard to say how much this departure could impact the team. Had Johnson returned, there’s little debating he would have earned a spot in the starting lineup. However, Minnesota’s going to be in rebuilding mode next season, regardless of whether Johnson is there or not, so it’s hard to say his departure will impact the team too significantly.

Expect the coaching staff to be active in trying to find a scholarship replacement. We’ll have to stay tuned to see how things sort out.