As he continues to put together a strong young nucleus in Minneapolis, Richard Pitino has also gotten a head-start on building up the 2018 recruiting class. On Thursday afternoon, the Gophers received their first commitment for 2018 in 6-9 power forward Daniel Oturu. The junior prospect out of Cretin-Derham Hall HS in St. Paul, MN, made the announcement at a press conference held at the school.
More from the Twin Cities Pioneer Press:
Cretin-Derham Hall junior Daniel Oturu committed to play basketball for the Gophers on Thursday, continuing the in-state recruiting momentum for Richard Pitino’s program.
Sixteen months after Pitino landed Hopkins star Amir Coffey as his biggest local recruit in four years, he netted one of the most prized Minnesota basketball players in the Class of 2018.
Oturu is a 6-foot-9 power forward rated as a four-star prospect and ranked the top Minnesotan in his class by ESPN.
He also had scholarship offers from Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Creighton and others.
Oturu is part of a talented basketball Class of 2018 from the state, joining guard Tre Jones, the brother of Timberwolves guard Tyus Jones, as the highest-rated recruits.
The Gophers also have offered Tre Jones a scholarship, but he hasn’t committed to a school yet. He has offers from Duke, Arizona and a handful of other schools with nationally recognized basketball programs.
