4:34Gophers sophomore center Daniel Oturu addressed the question of whether he'll be back next season Friday by saying he is just focusing on finishing this year.
Oturu, who is the only Division I college player averaging 20 points and 11 rebounds per game, has been projected to get picked in this summer's NBA Draft.
"Whatever the future holds is what the future holds," Oturu said Friday. "But I'm a person that's focused on now."
The 6-foot-10, 240-pound former Cretin-Derham Hall star has seen his draft stock rise after a breakout second season. One mock draft has him projected as high as the No. 7 overall pick, but Oturu's still thinking about how the team can accomplish its goals this year.
The Gophers (13-16, 7-12) end the regular season Sunday at Nebraska, but they will play again Wednesday as the No. 12 seed to open the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis. Trying to reach the postseason is still in mind.
"We've got Nebraska on Sunday and the Big Ten tournament, and hopefully we have more than that afterwards," Oturu said. "That's just pretty much where my focus has been on."
The Gophers haven't had a player drafted since former Hopkins' standout Kris Humphries in 2004. Last season, Gophers guard Amir Coffey led the team to the NCAA tournament, but he decided not to return for his senior season. Coffey went undrafted, but he signed a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Clippers.
"Amir tells me to focus on what's going on at the current moment," Oturu said. "People ask, but I really don't think about it that much. Because I love being here. I love Minnesota. I love playing for Maroon and Gold. Just continue to always come to practice, work and fight for the name across my jersey is important to me."
