The Gophers men’s basketball team have had two in-state commitments in the 2026 recruiting class, and last week, the U landed a pledge in a big man from Congo by way of California. Considered a bruising yet raw player, Mpoyi is the 151st-ranked recruit in the 2026 class, according to 247Sports composite list. He had offers and visits to Oregon State, Utah State and California-Santa Barbara over the last month. He also has reported offers from California, Utah, Stanford, BYU, Loyola Marymount, East Carolina and others. Even more importantly, his faith in Christ shapes who he is and how he carries himself.”The Gophers’ two local recruits are Nolen Anderson (Wayzata) and Cedric Tomes (East Ridge).