JOTTINGS
• Can the Gophers basketball team survive the loss of Jordan Murphy, Dupree McBrayer, Isaiah Washington and Amir Coffey despite the additions the team made?
• You have to wonder if the Sacramento Kings, who have three second-round picks in the NBA draft, told Coffey they would target him as a pick. Coffey worked out for the Kings this week before deciding not to return to the Gophers.
• As Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph continues to try to negotiate a contract, he played golf this week with Ernie Els at the Memorial tournament in conjunction with the Walter Payton Man of the Year award. His father, Dan Rudolph, caddied.
• Timberwolves head coach Ryan Saunders gave an injury update on his team: "Jeff [Teague] is continuing to progress. He has been in Minnesota going through his rehab, getting back to full strength. The same goes for Robert [Covington]. … They are definitely progressing."
• The MLB draft will take place Monday and Michael Busch, a Simley grad who attended North Carolina, is projected by MLB.com to go No. 23 overall to the Rockies. They wrote of Busch: "One of the more polished and disciplined hitters in the college ranks, Busch could go a bit higher in the draft to a club that believes he can handle left field or second base."
• Another Minnesota native who could be selected high is Matt Wallner of Forest Lake, who plays for Southern Miss. Wallner was voted the Conference USA Player of the Year and was a consensus preseason All-America. Wallner and Busch are playing in the NCAA tournament.
• Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski announced Wednesday that Apple Valley native Tre Jones had hip and hernia surgery recently. Word is Jones will be fine for the start of the regular season.
