The University of Minnesota fired men’s basketball coach Ben Johnson early Thursday morning after his third losing season in the Big Ten in four years. His dismissal will cost the university a $2.93 million buyout.

The Gophers finished with a 15-17 record and were eliminated from the Big Ten tournament on Wednesday with a 72-64 loss to Northwestern in the opening round. After the team returned to Minnesota around midnight, athletic director Mark Coyle met with Johnson to inform him of the decision.

“I met with Ben in-person early this morning when the team returned from the Big Ten tournament and told him we were making a leadership change,” Coyle said in a statement. “I appreciate his dedication to the program and wish him well.”

Johnson, 44, a former Gophers player and assistant coach, had two years left on his contract, which paid him $1.95 million annually, making him the lowest-paid head coach in the Big Ten. Over four seasons, he compiled a 56-71 overall record and went 22-57 in conference play, finishing in the bottom half of the standings three times. This season, the Gophers placed 12th out of 18 Big Ten teams with a 7-13 conference record.

His best season came in 2023-24, when the team finished 19-15, placed ninth in the conference, and reached the second round of the NIT. The previous year, the Gophers struggled with a 9-22 record.

Coyle emphasized that the decision was made after careful evaluation, stating, “Our expectation is to compete for championships, and we haven’t done that over the past four years.”

The Gophers struggled late in the season, losing seven of their last 11 games. Despite notable wins at USC and UCLA, consecutive home losses to Northwestern and Penn State put them in danger of missing the Big Ten tournament. A three-game winning streak in January, including ranked victories over Michigan and Oregon, briefly offered hope for a turnaround, but inconsistencies persisted.

Minnesota’s home attendance improved slightly this season (8,923 per game) but remained the lowest since 1970-71. Additionally, the program faced challenges retaining players, with six athletes transferring after the 2023-24 season, including starters Elijah Hawkins and Pharrel Payne.

Johnson was hired in March 2021 after the university parted ways with Richard Pitino. Despite having no previous head coaching experience, he was chosen for his ability to recruit local talent. However, key in-state players he brought in, such as Payne, Braeden Carrington, and Joshua Ola-Joseph, transferred after two seasons.

During his tenure, Johnson also signed high-profile recruits, including five-star center Dennis Evans III, but Evans left before ever playing for the Gophers. Other notable departures included Talon Cooper (South Carolina) and Jamison Battle (Ohio State).

After a 13-17 first season, Johnson’s contract was extended in May 2022, modifying his buyout terms. If he secures comparable employment soon, the university’s buyout payments will cease.

The Gophers are now searching for Johnson’s replacement, with early candidates including Colorado State’s Niko Medved, West Virginia’s Darian DeVries, Oklahoma’s Porter Moser, Drake’s Ben McCollum, former Timberwolves coach Ryan Saunders, and Northern Iowa’s Ben Jacobson.

“This is a highly desirable job in a premier conference and city,” Coyle said. “We have top-tier facilities, a historic venue, and all the resources needed to succeed. We will begin a nationwide search for our next head coach immediately.”

By admin

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Missed?

Here’s your rephrased and expanded blog post version, over 456 words: — Boston Celtics Legend Weighs in on Caitlin Clark and WNBA Pay Debate The conversation around pay equity in professional sports has once again taken center stage, with WNBA star Caitlin Clark becoming one of the most prominent voices in the discussion. The rookie sensation has been outspoken about the significant pay gap between male and female basketball players, sparking debates across sports media, fan communities, and now even among NBA legends. Clark’s stance on the issue has been clear and unapologetic. Last month, she made headlines when she arrived to warm-ups wearing a shirt emblazoned with the message, “Pay Us What You Owe Us.” The statement wasn’t just about her own salary—it was a call to action for the league and its stakeholders to recognize the value, talent, and growing marketability of women’s basketball. Her boldness has not gone unnoticed. A Boston Celtics legend—whose own career was defined by leadership both on and off the court—has now voiced support for Clark’s perspective. While not delving into the specifics of WNBA contracts or league finances, the Celtics great made it clear that the conversation Clark is pushing forward is both necessary and overdue. The issue of WNBA compensation has been a long-standing point of contention. While NBA players often sign multi-million-dollar contracts bolstered by massive television deals, WNBA players operate under a much smaller revenue pool. The average WNBA salary is a fraction of its NBA equivalent, and even the league’s top earners fall short of the baseline salary of NBA rookies. Critics often argue that pay should be tied to league revenue, while advocates point out that the WNBA has been historically underpromoted and underfunded, creating a self-fulfilling cycle that keeps salaries low. Clark is far from the first WNBA player to use her platform for advocacy. In 2020, players made a united stand in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, wearing shirts and using media appearances to amplify the message. Then in 2022, during the second half of the All-Star Game, every player took the court wearing Brittney Griner jerseys while the Phoenix Mercury star was detained in Russia—a powerful gesture of solidarity that resonated worldwide. What sets Clark apart is her combination of star power and timing. Entering the league with massive attention from her historic college career, she has quickly become one of the most marketable athletes in women’s basketball. Her willingness to speak openly about pay equity not only draws attention from fans but also places additional pressure on league executives, sponsors, and media partners to reexamine how the WNBA is valued. With NBA legends like this former Celtics star voicing support, the conversation gains an added layer of credibility and visibility. While solutions to the pay gap are complex and will require structural changes, the public momentum Clark is generating suggests that the discussion is far from fading. In fact, it may be entering its most crucial stage yet—one that could shape the future of women’s basketball for generations to come. — If you’d like, I can also prepare a more debate-focused version that contrasts opposing viewpoints on the WNBA pay gap for a more argumentative blog style.