Gophers men’s basketball lands four-star California recruit Jacob Ross

Gophers men’s basketball coach Ben Johnson offered a scholarship to four-star California senior Jacob Ross just last Friday, but it didn’t take long for the recruiting process to heat up.

The 6-6 SoCal Academy wing said he committed to the Gophers after last weekend’s visit. The official announcement came Thursday.

“I picked Minnesota because the style of play matches me,” Ross told the Star Tribune. “I picked Minnesota because of the coaching staff and the way they go about the game. They’re a real positive and encouraging staff on and off the court.”

Ross, who is from northern Virginia, is rated a four-star prospect by 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN. His recruitment had only been picking up recently, because he transferred from Long Island Lutheran in New York.

He also visited Old Dominion and has offers from Kansas State and VCU among others. But could Ross be the next sleeper to become a breakout freshman for the Gophers?

Freshman Cam Christie followed the footsteps of his older brother, Max, to the NBA. Ross said the Gophers compared his family dynamic with how they helped Christie develop.

Ross’ older brother, Jayden, was a four-star recruit and is now entering his sophomore season at defending NCAA champion UConn.

“That’s one of the first things they said to my parents and I,” Ross said. “How Cam came in and did what he had to do, to be a one-and-done. I definitely heard that story. They said we were in a similar situation.”

SoCal Academy coach Julius Von Hanzlik called Ross “one of the best defenders in the country,” comparing him to Boston Celtics forward Jordan Walsh, who he trains in the NBA.

“He’s physical, athletic and tough enough to guard almost every position on the floor at the college level,” Von Hanzlik said.

In early October, the Gophers staff spotted Ross at the Fall Invite in LA, which included more than 200 Division I prospects. His length and athleticism stood out with a 7-foot wingspan, but Ross is also developing his perimeter game.

“He shot the ball well for us,” Von Hanzlik said. “He’s been able to play out of ball screens. He can do so many things. He just adds toughness. Toughness is the first thing you need to be competitive in the Big Ten. I think he also adds experience and length to their roster.”

On his Minnesota visit last week, Ross bonded with Johnson’s entire coaching staff, which was a deciding factor in the Gophers’ favor.

“They’re really genuine people,” he said. “They care more about the individual than they care about the player, which is big for me. They had a vision for the program and where they see it going.”

Four-star 6-10 Inglewood (Calif.) senior big man Parker Jefferson didn’t know Ross previously, but he said after their visit on the same weekend: “Could definitely be a potential team-up.”

The Gophers are now closing in on the early signing period next month with two Class of 2025 recruits, including Philadelphia Penn Charter guard Kai Shinholster, a consensus three-star prospect.