When Jordy Tshimanga stepped off the plane on his official visit to Minnesota last weekend, he didn't know what to expect.
What he found on his recruiting trip with the Gophers pleasantly surprised him, according to the 2016 big man's high school coach, Jacque Rivera.
"I think people are often scared away when they hear 'Minnesota,'" said Rivera, the head coach at the MacDuffie school in Massachusetts, chuckling that Tshimanga might have believed the area was completely rural. "I think when he got off it was like 'OK wow, I can really do this.' It was a sense of shock. He really enjoyed his time."
Tshimanga, who is also being heavily recruited by Nebraska, Arizona and Oregon, is a 6-11, 240-pound physical force in the paint and on the boards -- where he averaged 19 rebounds a game according to Rivera – two areas in which the Gophers were sorely lacking last year.
"There is no one like him in the country." Rivera said. "I think at this juncture of their careers, most guys want to be a face-up four-man, they want to step out to the three-point line, they want to show they can dribble. Jordy has really embraced often being the biggest guy on the court. …He wants to do his work inside. He does most of his damage around the basket."
Rivera also calls him one of the hardest working players he's coached. He said the Montreal native rides a stationary bike and works out on the court and in the pool daily, and has slimmed down by about 40 pounds in the last two years. Rivera also said Tshimanga currently has all As in his classes.
"His training regimen is legit and it's him who wants to do it," Rivera said. "I've watched him compete day in and day out. This is a kid that trains like no one else. He's transformed his body …he didn't skip any steps."
The Gophers have one scholarship to play with after freshman Kevin Dorsey announced he would transfer earlier this month. They could use the spot to lure a late-signing freshman like Tshimanga or a transfer or junior college player immediately, give the scholarship to a walk on or save it to use next year.
Rivera said Minnesota has been recruiting Tshimanga since last fall, with assistant coach Kimani Young taking the lead. The Gophers have traveled to Massachusetts to watch the senior multiple times Rivera said, and impressed Tshimanga with how hard they've recruited him.
"They've done a really good job," Rivera said.
Minnesota was Tshimanga's first visit, but Rivera expects him to at least take a few more with Nebraska and Arizona likely at the top of the list. After waiting this long to make a decision on his future, Tshimanga and his family have no interest in rushing the process.
"Jordy is a unique kid and the way his family is doing things is very unique," Rivera said. "I think they're going to take their time … They're just waiting and asking all the questions they need to ask, doing all their due diligence. They haven't rushed into anything because they're looking for the best possible situation for him."
