BREAKING: Top-ranked Minnesota high school recruit commits to Iowa State over Gophers

The Gophers men’s basketball team extended a scholarship offer to standout Wayzata guard Christian Wiggins on March 30, but the effort came too late. On Saturday, Wiggins — Minnesota’s top-ranked recruit — gave a verbal commitment to Iowa State.

Wiggins, a 6-foot-4 four-star prospect, is rated No. 52 nationally in the 2026 class by the 247Sports Composite. He ranks ahead of other top in-state talents like Dothan Ijadimbola (Totino-Grace), Jayden Moore (Hopkins), and Ryan Kreager (Faribault), solidifying his status as the best player in Minnesota.

As a junior, Wiggins led Wayzata to a Class 4A state title, scoring 21 points in the championship win over Cretin-Derham Hall. He’ll return for his senior season before heading to Ames to play for T.J. Otzelberger and the Cyclones.

The Gophers, now led by new head coach Niko Medved, were late to the recruitment. Despite being a hometown talent, Wiggins hadn’t received a Minnesota offer until recently. He also had offers from Wisconsin, Iowa, Creighton, and Northern Iowa. It’s difficult to fully assess Medved’s recruitment of Wiggins given his short time at the helm, while Iowa State had already built a stronger connection.

Otzelberger continues to find success recruiting in Minnesota, having previously landed players like Curtis Jones (Cretin-Derham Hall), Nate Heise (Lake City), Gabe Kalscheur (DeLaSalle), and Robert Jones (Prior Lake) via the transfer portal. Iowa State’s current staff has made a consistent impact in the state, securing commitments from high school prospects like Demarion Watson (Totino-Grace) and Eli King (Caledonia).

While the transfer portal plays a major role in roster construction, high school recruiting remains crucial. Medved and his staff still have significant work ahead to gain a stronghold in Minnesota’s recruiting landscape.