Transfers usually leave a school because they're looking for something completely different.

But in the case of Matz Stockman, like a Louisville player before him, he wants to go from playing for one Pitino to another.

Gophers coach Richard Pitino got some recruiting help Tuesday from his father, Louisville coach Rick Pitino, who will send a 7-footer to play for his son.

Stockman (first name pronounced Motts) is transferring to the University of Minnesota after the spring semester, Louisville announced Tuesday morning. The 240-pound Norwegian will have one year of eligibility remaining after sitting out the 2017-18 season.

This isn't the first time Rick Pitino had one of his players transfer from Louisville to play for Richard – and his school announced it first.

In 2012, Rakeem Buckles left the Cardinals to play for the younger Pitino at Florida International. The 6-7 forward sat out the 2012-13 season, but Pitino left FIU to take over the Gophers' program. Buckles decided to transfer again and got admitted into Minnesota. But the NCAA denied his waiver to play right away and the U's appeal on his behalf as well. So Buckles went back to Florida to finish his career.

Stockman, a sparingly used reserve big man, sees an opportunity for more playing time in Minnesota. He averaged 2.2 points, 1.6 rebounds and 5.3 minutes in 45 career games at Louisville in three seasons.

"I've had a great time at Louisville the last three years," Stockman said in a statement. "I've learned a lot, gotten to know a great many people and have become very close with our coaches and players. I'm incredibly grateful for my time here. I've improved a lot since I first arrived and I will be forever grateful to Coach Pitino, the coaching staff and for everyone involved around our team. However, I've been looking for an opportunity to play quality minutes for a long time now and I think this will be a great situation for me."

Stockman played 18 games this season, averaging 1.7 points and 1.2 rebounds in 4.1 minutes per game. He scored a career-high 10 points and grabbed three rebounds in a Dec. 3 win against Grand Canyon. He played in 23 games as a sophomore in 2015-16 and four games his freshman season in 2014-15.

Before coming to the U.S., Stockman played one season at the Canarias Basketball Academy in Gran Canaria in Spain's Canary Islands in 2013-14. Gophers junior forward Gaston Diedhiou also played at CBA before coming to pursue a college basketball career in the states.

"Matz has been a great team member with our basketball team and we appreciate his efforts," Rick Pitino said in a statement "Transferring to Minnesota is a great move for him, as he'll have an opportunity to make an immediate impact when he becomes eligible to play."

The Gophers had an open scholarship for next season after sophomore forward Ahmad Gilbert was allowed to transfer. Stockman joins the 2017 recruiting class that includes four-star St. Raymond (N.Y.) point guard Isaiah Washington and three-star Patrick School (N.J.) guard Jamir Harris.

The spring signing period starts Wednesday. The Gophers can't officially make an announcement about Stockman until his paperwork goes through and he signs a letter of intent this week. He will be the seventh Division I transfer to sign with Minnesota under Richard Pitino, including Reggie Lynch, Akeem Springs and Davonte Fitzgerald on this year's team.

"You're always recruiting with the amount of transfers that happen in today's world of college basketball," Richard Pitino said recently. "You always have to have a pulse on everything. If it will help the team, we'll look at it."

In 2018-19, Stockman could compete for the starting center spot to replace Lynch, who will be a senior next season. Minnesota also is expected to bring in 6-10 Cretin-Derham Hall big man Daniel Oturu, who is currently the only commitment in the 2018 recruiting class.