New Gophers coach Richard Pitino shrugged off a question about whether he would bring in any new recruits for 2013-14 with three scholarships available.
"Only if they are the right fit," he said several times at his Friday introductory news conference.
Assuming that Pitino believes he's found that right fit in the past, he could be bringing some of his earlier searching to Minnesota.
Gopher Illustrated's Zach Johnson reported yesterday that Rakeem Buckles could be headed to the Gophers now that the coach who recruited him has moved on as well.
Buckles played three seasons for Louisville before transferring to Florida International after tearing his left ACL in January of 2012. Buckles had sustained an ACL tear in his right knee just a year earlier.
Despite the injury troubles, the power forward has shown sparks of potential. In his last full season in 2010-11, Buckles averaged 6.8 points and 6.1 rebounds in 18.8 minutes a game at Louisville. The 6-7, 215-pound Buckles has been away from the game for a long time now, a la Mo Walker, but the 22-year-old could still have something left in the tank. If Buckles does in fact decide to come to Minnesota, the question will be when he will be allowed to play.
Buckles, who could graduate from FIU this spring, would be required to sit out a full season, unless Minnesota were to submit and be granted a waiver based on his unique situation.
To complicate things more, Buckles would have to submit a waiver just to play in 2014-15 because if the forward doesn't play this season, his five-year clock would end, and he would need to be granted a sixth year by the NCAA.
