Texas San Antonio transfer Trey Edmonds is set to give the Gophers men's basketball team the size it needs next season with a commitment Monday to play for coach Ben Johnson.

Edmonds, a 6-10, 255-pound junior, picked the Gophers over Mississippi and Cincinnati after an official visit over the weekend. He told the Star Tribune that a deciding factor was Minnesota selling him on the opportunity to showcase his game beyond being just an inside presence.

"The coaches were making it very clear I would have freedom," Edmonds said Monday. "They felt like how I play and the development I'm making in my game fit in perfect with how they play."

Last season, Edmonds averaged a career-best 7.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 22 minutes in 32 games.

Edmonds started his college career playing 53 games at Utah Tech in two seasons. The Colorado native started all 32 games in the frontcourt for UTSA in 2023-24. He scored in double figures 11 times last season, including a season-high 15 points and eight rebounds in the season-opening win vs. Western Illinois.

"I'm working on areas I wasn't too strong at this past year," said Edmonds, who is looking to improve his range and foul shooting. "[The Gophers] see the same vision as me. They're all in with helping me develop and become the best player I can be."

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The Roadrunners lost 102-76 on Nov. 10 at Williams Arena, but Edmonds had 12 points on 5-for-11 shooting in 19 minutes before fouling out.

"I like how they played together and shared the ball," Edmonds said. "I liked how they used Dawson [Garcia]. He's a great player. I loved playing against him."

Garcia is the returning scoring and rebounding leader for the Gophers, but they will also welcome back starting guard Mike Mitchell Jr., sixth man Parker Fox and reserve forward Kadyn Betts.

The Gophers saw seven players enter the transfer portal, including starting guards Elijah Hawkins and Cam Christie and big man Pharrel Payne. Christie also declared early for the NBA draft.

Edmonds will be the fifth player the Gophers sign from the portal this spring, including Canisius big man Frank Mitchell, Oregon guard Brennan Rigsby, Macalester's Caleb Williams and New Mexico State's Femi Odukale.

Despite not being able to meet most of the team yet on his visit, Edmonds believed strongly this was the right place to play his final college season.

"It was a great time in Minnesota," he said. "I really loved it there."