Author: David Shama

David Shama is a former sports editor and columnist with local publications. His writing and reporting experiences include covering the Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Gophers. Shama’s career experiences also include sports marketing. He is the former Marketing Director of the Minnesota North Stars of the NHL. He is also the former Marketing Director of the United States Tennis Association’s Northern Section. A native of Minneapolis, Shama has been part of the community his entire life. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota where he majored in journalism. He also has a Master’s degree in education from the University of St. Thomas. He was a member of the Governor’s NBA’s Task Force to help create interest in bringing pro basketball to town in the 1980s.

Medved Making a Difference with Golden Gophers NIL

Posted on April 21, 2025April 21, 2025 by David Shama

The Name, Image and Likeness effort to generate money for University of Minnesota men’s basketball is positive under new head coach Niko Medved who was hired in March.

Dinkytown Athletes, the entity that creates and develops NIL opportunities for Gopher athletes with businesses and sponsors, is led by co-founder and president Derek Burns. He told Sports Headliners NIL revenue raised for men’s basketball players is “significantly ahead” of a year ago.

This is the third offseason DA has worked on NIL resources and Burns said money available for the 2025-2026 school year is “by far” ahead of previous totals. Like other collectives around the country, DA doesn’t make public the total NIL revenue it has. Such information can create a competitive disadvantage with rival schools, collective executives maintain.

However, it’s believed former Gopher men’s basketball coach Ben Johnson had a seven-figure amount of NIL money last school year, but the total was under $2 million. It could be (based on background work by Sports Headliners) that in Medved’s first year the total will be between $3 million to $4 million. Athletes are paid at Minnesota and elsewhere to make appearances, endorse products or services and appear in advertising.

Medved, who coached Colorado State to the NCAA Tournament three of the last four years, is a Minnesota native. He was a student manager for the Gophers in the 1990s and has a passion for the program that hit hard times under Johnson, partially because of minimal NIL money.

The personable Medved knows a rebuild is in front of him. He’s been using his determination and salesmanship with donors to build up NIL support. Burns said Medved has “been very effective and well received.”

Part of the fund-raising strategy uses donors of means to engage in matching campaigns. Medved wants, of course, to avoid as much as possible not being priced out for players in recruiting against other programs.

Medved photo courtesy of University of Minnesota

Of developing significance is that Big Ten athletic departments and other major conferences are expected to soon receive court approval to share revenues with athletes. The cap could be $20.5 million per school the first year, with the Gophers expected to allocate for five sports with football receiving more than half the total and men’s basketball being second in the pecking order.

Even with revenue sharing, NIL will remain in play. It figures to make a difference as seen frequently in news reporting about college basketball and football.

Kyan Evans, one of Medved’s best players last season, was wanted in Dinkytown but the junior guard chose North Carolina where he reportedly will have a more than $2 million NIL deal.

Orono High School guard Noah Groves, the state’s player of the year, committed to Texas Tech last week, a program where his agent has relationships. The Red Raiders took Gopher point guard Elijah Hawkins a year ago. Tech is known for its NIL success in football and basketball, and is reportedly paying hoopster JT Toppin around $4 million in NIL money to return to the Red Raiders.

Medved has so far brought in five transfer players. Only state native BJ Omot from Cal is from a Power Four conference, an indication of limitations in NIL funding at Minnesota.

That doesn’t mean those transfers won’t help the Gophers, with some even excelling. On3 uses an algorithm to determine whether a program has improved its roster talent, stayed the same or declined during the transfer window. Minnesota is ranked No. 25 in the nation by On3 after determining an improved roster.

NIL monies have reportedly increased nationally, although Burns cautions he knows figures are frequently exaggerated not only in basketball but in football, too. A point of differentiation for the Gophers is that unlike some schools Minnesota has a reputation of making good on its NIL commitments, not reneging.

Still, it’s bizarre to hear some of the reports about NIL money just for men’s basketball. Former Marquette, Indiana and Georgia head coach Tom Crean, talking to Dan Barreiro on KFAN last week, put the number in the 50s of college programs with $9 million war chests, he believes.

College basketball authority Evan Miyakawa, writing last week on X, guesstimated the top spenders this offseason on basketball transfers is led by Michigan at $8.8 million, Kentucky, $7.6 million, Maryland and Miami at $7.1 million each, and Iowa at $6.6 million.

Absent from Miyakawa’s top 10 list was St. John’s where coach Rick Pitino has a billionaire booster who is willing to pay whatever it takes to have the Red Storm at national prominence.

Believe Miyakawa’s figures at your discretion, but no one can doubt NIL money is big business.

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Timberwolves Have Options Against Vaunted Lakers Offense

Posted on April 16, 2025April 16, 2025 by David Shama

It will be intriguing to see how the Timberwolves decide to defense Lakers superstars LeBron James and Luka Doncic in their first-round playoff series starting Saturday night in Los Angeles.

The two superstars, along with an emerging star in guard Austin Reaves, form a trio of scorers that is the core of the Lakers’ success. Los Angeles, the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, is built to win by scoring points, not so much with defense or rebounding. The other thing to know about the Lakers is the supporting cast for the Big Three is pretty much bargain basement.

The Wolves, the No. 6 seed, are the more balanced team on offense, defense and rebounding. Their roster, top to bottom, has more cumulative talent and is deeper than the Lakers. Yet mostly because of the extraordinary offensive talent of James and Doncic, the Lakers are favored to win the seven-game series and are one of the betting favorites to emerge in June as NBA champions.

Even at age 40, James remains among the league’s best players. He’s particularly lethal at closing out games with timely plays, whether that’s a clutch basket or perhaps a blocked shot. A 6-9, 250-pound power forward, James is always among the tallest players on the floor for the undersized Lakers. While this can be detrimental for his cub, it also causes matchup problems for opponents trying to control the Los Angeles offense.

Defensive specialist Jaden McDaniels could be given much of the James assignment by Wolves coach Chris Finch. At 6-foot-9 his length (including wingspan), combined with athleticism, is a tempting match up versus James. But at a listed 185-pounds, he gives away size and muscle to the Los Angeles forward who sometimes plays center.

James must draw focus no matter who is on the floor to guard him. He’s effective shooting mid-range and beyond the three-point arc. Guard him too tight and his ball handling and muscle allow drives to the basket for layups and dunks. He’s also a threat on the fast break, sprinting out quickly toward the basket with Doncic throwing a Tom Brady-like pass.

Other than James, the Lakers are pretty much skunked for rebounders and sizeable defenders. He’s the best at both assignments for Los Angeles. Bothered by a groin injury not long ago, his health is paramount to a Lakers playoff run.

Doncic seems to be constantly nagged by injuries and his presence is equally important to the Lakers. Even at age 26, Doncic is recognized as one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. His three-point range is near unprecedented, while his strength, sense of timing and athleticism allow him to slow down the game while driving for mid-range, near the basket, and lay up scores.

When Doncic isn’t dialing up jaw-dropping baskets, he can be just as show-stopping with his passes to set up wide open looks for teammates. Reaves, a fast-developing shooter from multiple spots on the floor, is a consistent converter of those opportunities, but too many other Lakers don’t deliver.

Playing for the Mavericks a year ago, Luka and mates took the Wolves out in five games during the Western Conference Finals. He averaged 32.4 points, 9.6 rebounds and 8.2 assists.

The best defensive strategy for the Wolves against Doncic is this: consistently double-team and be physical. Putting two defenders on him (as far out as mid-court) will often force Doncic to give up the basketball sooner than he wants. Teammates may then have wide-open shots but that could be a good thing for the Wolves.

Edwards, Finch photo courtesy of Minnesota Timberwolves

Doncic, a 6-6, 230-pound point guard, can sometimes be bothered by not only double teams but by defenders of similar size and strength. McDaniels is a possibility but Anthony Edwards, at 6-4, 220, is even a better option. As important as Edwards is offensively, his defensive prowess could be as key to the series outcome.

The Wolves have other options, too, in 6-4, 203-pound Donte DiVincenzo and 6-5, 205-pound Nickeil Alexander-Walker. That’s four relatively young but experienced defenders who, especially in double team situations, should be able to bother Doncic and impact the series.

With a roster of quality defenders to throw at Doncic, the Wolves match up better against the Slovenian legend than many rosters in the league. Power forwards Julius Randle and Naz Reid, along with McDaniels at times, can play one-on-one against James.

And center Rudy Gobert, at 7-1 and 258 pounds, is a bonus as the Wolves contemplate their defensive scheme. He is playing at an all-NBA defensive level and will be expected to challenge drives by James and Doncic as they approach the rim.

Gobert will also need to be on his game against Doncic’s drives with his tendency to lob a pass to a teammate, sometimes center Jaxson Hays. Gobert can not only dominate on defense, but he should be able to contribute a lot on offense where he has picked up his game late in the regular season including with rebounds and points (54 points, 29 rebounds in the last two games).

So, the whole key to the series may come down to those Wolves defenders singled out here and being able to hold down Doncic. Let James and Reaves score near their season averages of 24.4 and 20.2 but keep Luka, who averaged 28.2 points per game, from being a wrecking ball (again).

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Could Vikings Target ‘One of Us’ in Draft’s First Round?

Posted on April 10, 2025April 18, 2025 by David Shama

Updated April 18, 2025

Enjoy a Thursday notes column:

Will the Vikings take “one of us” next Thursday with the 24^th selection of the first round in the 2025 NFL Draft from Green Bay?

Well, Nick Baumgardner, with his mock draft this week for The Athletic, thinks the Vikings will go for a parochial pick. He predicts Minnesota will choose Grey Zabel, a center-guard prospect from North Dakota State whose hometown is Pierre, South Dakota. He was an All-American left tackle for the FCS champs, but Baumgardner said the 6-6, 305-pound athlete is better suited to the interior line.

Ryan Wilson from CBS Sports has the Vikings opting for East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. in his April 8 mock draft. Other mock draft sites believe the Vikings will trade the No. 24 pick to accumulate more draft choices than the four they now have.

Chad Reuter in his April 4 mock for NFL.com has the Vikings receiving third and fourth round selections from the Chiefs, while giving up their first and sixth round picks. And Reuter has the Chiefs selecting Gopher offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery with that first rounder. The Vikings, of course, could really go home region in the first round by taking Ersery.

The Vikings are short on draft slots right now, owning four selections currently in the first, third, fifth and sixth rounds. That status not only prompts speculation about trading the first rounder for more picks, but also that Minnesota could emphasize bringing in a lot of free agents just out of college.

The Gophers had a program record six players invited to the NFL Combine earlier this year. Ersery is all but certain to be drafted in the early rounds. He projects eventually as an NFL starter.

The other five, at worst, are almost assured of at least free agent tryouts. Quarterback Max Brosmer, defensive lineman Jay Joyner, linebacker Cody Lindenberg and cornerback Justin Walley may have a more realistic chance of being selected in the seven round draft than wide receiver Daniel Jackson.

Jackson has the lowest cumulative score from NFL.com/prospects among the University of Minnesota prospects. He has route running and ball catching skills, but his ability to get open against NFL defenders is a concern and so is his lack of speed.

Brosmer, lacking a big arm and mobility, might not hear his name during the April 17-19 draft either. But his confidence, high football IQ and quick release could intrigue a club looking for a developmental quarterback willing to take on any role for multiple seasons.

New Gophers assistant men’s basketball coaches Brian Cooley and Armon Gates will earn $300,000 and $400,000 respectively, per a Discovery request made to the University of Minnesota by Sports Headliners. Dave Thorson, the holdover assistant from coach Ben Johnson’s staff, will remain at $341,423.

The Timberwolves, despite losing to the Bucks Tuesday night, are fortunate to have two of their last three regular season games against softies as they compete to avoid the Western Conference play-in-tournament. After tonight’s game in Memphis against the Grizzlies the Wolves finish the regular season at home against the Nets, with a 26-53 record, and the Jazz, 17-63. Both franchises are presumably more interested in positioning to win the NBA Draft lottery and select Duke freshman phenom Cooper Flagg.

The hitting and pitching have been spotty, and there’s no excitement about the 4-8 Twins. But while the verdict by many fans may already be in on what kind of season the Twins will have, franchise Hall of Fame manager Tom Kelly used to say a team can’t be fairly judged until 50 games.

The Twins try for a win this afternoon in Kansas City and a four-game series split with the Royals. Minnesota has won 195 games in Kauffman Stadium, the most in any road ballpark.

Murray’s Restaurant owner Tim Murray is a passionate baseball fan who attended his 45^th consecutive Twins home opener last week.

Happy birthday next week to Jim Dutcher who coached the Golden Gophers to the Big Ten championship in 1982. Dutch turns 92 on April 17 and is healthy. He recently renewed his driver’s license and eats what he wants.

Dutch told Sports Headliners he does have arthritic knees and uses a walker to help his mobility and prevent a fall. His brother Norman is 96 and lives in Alpena, Michigan.

Former Gophers football head coach Glen Mason turned 75 yesterday.

Minnesotans are naïve if they think Dallas might trade its No. 1 draft spot to the Lynx who then could grab hometown hero Paige Bueckers. The WNBA Draft is Monday with the Wings all but certain to take Bueckers, the former Hopkins High School legend. But don’t rule out Bueckers eventually coming home via trade or free agency.

Bueckers was coached at Hopkins by Brian Cosgriff who was asked if there is another Bueckers on the horizon in Minnesota. “You don’t know about Maddyn Greenway (prep senior next season). I mean she’s doing some spectacular things here. Won four state championships. Scored over 4,000 points. She was very, very good this year. I look for Maddyn to be an amazing college player (at Kentucky) as well.”

The Lynx, BTW, had little to no financial worth in their early years after starting as a expansion franchise in 1998, but a fair estimate now is the club is worth $80 million to $100.

The Minnesota Minute Men Amateur Athletic Foundation has awarded its 2025 Scholarship to Sophia Anderson of Liberty Classical Academy in White Bear Lake. She captained her varsity track and field, and basketball teams, and also earned a state championship and a fourth-place finish nationally with USA Powerlifting. A Magna Cum Laude student, she will attend Dallas Baptist University with a biology major and compete in track and field.

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