Royce White Commits To Gophers

Already armed with a Top-20 class for 2008, Tubby Smith added his first piece to the 2009 class this week when Hopkins junior forward Royce White committed to the program. White is rated by Rivals as a Top 40 prospect for 2009 and has seen his stock steadily rise for the past year. He played his first three years at DeLaSalle before being expelled from school for reasons unbeknown to the public, forcing a transfer to Hopkins, the likely 2009 state champions.

The addition of White is another example of the quick turnaround that Tubby has orchestrated. Dan Monson was able to attain some top in-state talent, but it was usually after they transferred back to Minnesota for various reasons and most underperformed under Monson's watch. Tubby has pieced together a talented and versatile class and has put Minnesota back on the map as a desirable place to play basketball. The 2008 class is highlighted by three Top-150 players in Ralph Sampson III, Devoe Joseph, and Colton Iverson, and a fourth, Verdell Jones, may soon make his intentions known as he decides between the Gophers, Arizona, and Kentucky.