New Minnesota men’s basketball head coach Richard Pitino left Florida International to become a Gopher, and it looks like he won’t be the only one to do so.
Malik Smith, a junior guard from Boston, Mass., announced via Twitter that he had chosen Minnesota over Alabama as the place where he would play out his final season of NCAA eligibility.
"My decision is final. I'm a Minnesota Gopher baby!!!!! BIG10 here I come! #Blessed #GodIsGood #Ready…," Smith Tweeted early Wednesday morning. He will be immediately eligible to play and will not have to sit out a year as is the norm for transfers per college basketball analyst Jeff Goodman.
My decision is final. I'm a Minnesota Gopher baby!!!!! BIG10 here I come! #Blessed #GodIsGood #Ready… instagram.com/p/ZVc4xcmSdh/
— Malik Smith (@leeksmith24) May 15, 2013
Smith was the second leading scorer on the Panthers last season 14.1 points per game in just over 33 minutes per game. He shot 36.2 percent from beyond the arc, making 96 threes in 265 attempts, both team highs.
In his transfer declaration early in April, Smith had expressed his close relationship with Pitino saying, "Coach Pitino helped show me what hard work was and I’ll forever appreciate it. With him and the rest of my teammates the best in the future. Everything happens for a reason."
