Former UND men's basketball player B.J. Omot will transfer from Cal to Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS — The Gophers men’s basketball program has added to its roster in consecutive days.

Incoming freshman guard Kai Shinholster said he will remain in the U’s 2025 class through the coaching change from Ben Johnson to Niko Medved.

“Locked in!!” Shinholster posted on social media Wednesday.

And BJ Omot, a 6-foot-8 junior forward from Mankato, also signed with the U later Wednesday, he announced on X.

“HOME,” he wrote.

Omot, an addition via the NCAA transfer portal addition, played only four games at California last season before it ended with a wrist injury, averaging 10.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 26 minutes before the sidelining.

Omot started his college career with two seasons at UND, averaging 16.7 points and 4.2 rebounds in 35 minutes per game in 2023-24 and being named to the all-Summit League first team.

With the injury, Omot appears likely to have two years of eligibility left for Minnesota.

Medved said in a statement that he was “thrilled” to have Omot join the U. “BJ is athletic with size, length and skill,” he said. “Along with his offensive talent as a wing, he is a great perimeter defender. I look forward to having him represent his home state and the maroon and gold.”

Wednesday’s adds come after Colorado State transfer forward Jaylen Crocker-Johnson committed to Minnesota on Tuesday. The 6-foot-8 forward has two years of eligibility remaining for the U.

Shinholster, a 6-foot-5 combo guard from Philadelphia, is a three-star recruit who had scholarship offers from Mississippi State, James Madison, St. Louis, Temple and others.

The two other signees from Johnson’s class — center Parker Jefferson and guard Jacob Ross — said within the last week they want out of their national letters of intent to Minnesota.

The Gophers now has five roster spots filled — including to-be sophomores Isaac Asuma and Grayson Grove — and eight open scholarship spots for next season.