Dennis Evans, the 7-foot-1 center from California who is committed to play in college for the Minnesota Gophers, continues to climb the national rankings. Rivals updated its top 150 recruits in the Class of 2023 and Evans comes in at No. 11.
Evans, who is ranked 27th in the nation by 247 Sports, announced his intentions to play at Minnesota in October. He’s the highest-rated recruit for the Gophers since Kris Humphries, who was Rivals’ No. 13 player in the Class of 2003.
“I used to get dunked on. Now I dunk on people,” Evans said in his announcement. “I’m pretty good at blocking shots. I like to go fishing. My favorite food is Subway.”
Minnesota basketball is experiencing a down year in the win column, though the future appears bright as true freshmen Pharrel Payne, Joshua Ola-Joseph, Braeden Carrington and Jaden Henley are all receiving significant playing time.
In a recent interview with the Daily Bulletin, Evans explained that Minnesota’s winters are part of the reason he decided to choose the Gophers.
“I like how the program is about getting down to work because there’s not too much to do outside during the winter,” Evans told the publication. “That’s what I worked for and that’s what I wanted.”
Add Evans and 4-star guard Cam Christie, who is a 6-foot-6 point guard and the younger brother of Lakers rookie Max Christie, to the mix next season and things are looking up. Especially if Jamison Battle, Dawson Garcia and Ta’lon Cooper return for the 2023-24 season.
Both Evans and Christie have been nominated for the 2023 McDonald’s All-American game.
