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With the Minnesota Golden Gopher men’s basketball season kicking off on November 9th, we will be previewing all members of the roster. Thompson, who originally committed to former Coach Richard Pitino, stayed the course to return home to the Barn and patrol the front court for the Gophers.
Year
Freshman
Position
Center
Measurables
Height: 6’ 11”
Weight: 190 lbs
Experience
Originally hailing from Glenwood, Minnesota, Thompson committed to the Gophers way back in November of 2019. At the time, he was ranked in the top 100 nationally and was playing for La Lumiere School in La Porte, Indiana. His team started the 2020-2021 season ranked third in the nation by MaxPreps.com. He averaged 4.3 points and 4.7 rebounds as a senior.
Brief Breakdown
Thompson is the sole “traditional” recruit for the Golden Gophers this season. He is a true freshman and unlike the rest of his roster peers (besides walk-on Jackson Purcell). His length is appealing but his frame could use another offseason or two to be correctly seasoned for the rigors of Big Ten play. Thompson showed an inclination to shoot from the outside during his high school career and plays with a good stroke and decent handle for someone his size (think bargain bin Chet Holmgren). His length and agility, along with his springy athleticism, bode well for a Minnesota front line desperate for anything that could play as size. If he can pair some in-season development with shooting touch, it would go a long way for his long-term future as a Gopher.
Projected Role
Thompson originally looked like a player with a lot of potential who could use a little time in the weigh room and a gradual integration into the challenging Big Ten. However, due to a complete lack of front court depth and lacking in other options, Treyton will be fed to the fire early and often during what will likely be a season of learning from failure, both for the team’s highest rated recruit and the team itself. However, this extensive playing time as a freshman could bode well for Thompson’s long term development and I’ll be very curious to see what the first true product of the Coach Ben Johnson program looks like a couple of years from now. The talent and potential is there for Thompson to be a good Gopher when all is said and done.