Report: Gophers Braeden Carrington Expected to Enter Transfer Portal

The Minnesota Gophers men’s basketball team is off until Thursday, when they will play their final non-conference game of the season vs the Maine Black Bears. Then on January 4, the Big Ten season will resume in Ann Arbor vs the Michigan Wolverines.

Golden Gophers guard Braeden Carrington, who stepped away from the team weeks ago citing a need to focus on his mental health, is not expected to be with the team on Thursday, or when the conference season resumes.

Related: Gophers Football Receiving ‘Substantive NIL Packages’ Recently; Basketball Still Behind

Braeden Carrington expected to enter transfer portal

In fact, the Park Center, MN alum is unlikely to return to his home state Gophers at all, according to Charley Walters (Pioneer Press), who reports that sources inside the University of Minnesota basketball program are telling him that it’d be a surprise if Carrington doesn’t land in the transfer portal (see update below).

UPDATE: Braeden Carrington’s Mom Calls Transfer Portal Report ‘Fake News’

People close to the Gophers will be surprised if sophomore basketball guard Braeden Carrington from Brooklyn Park doesn’t enter the NCAA transfer portal.

Charley Walters – Pioneer Press

We haven’t had much for updates on how Carrington is feeling, since he stepped away from the program. Braeden didn’t leave the program for basketball reasons, from what we know. But from a strictly basketball standpoint, his exit came just as he was starting to find his game.

Timing of Carrington’s break is interesting

Now a sophomore, Carrington got off to a slower start to his college career than what both he and head coach Ben Johnson were hoping, when he first committed to his hometown school.

Related: Ben Johnson’s 2023-24 Gophers Defying Odds, Climbing Rankings

But against Nebraska back on December 6, Braeden looked like the best defender the Gophers have on roster, when he held the ‘Japanese Steph Curry’ Keisei Tominaga to 4 points, 0 assists and 0 rebounds on 0-of-5 shooting. Carrington announced he was taking a leave from the Minnesota program less than one week later (Dec. 12).

Good morning, #Gophers!

Start your day with highlights from last night's gritty comeback win! pic.twitter.com/HsFOJjZPqe

— Minnesota Men's Basketball (@GopherMBB) December 7, 2023

Walters is the only reporter I’ve seen that is reporting Braeden’s supposed plans to enter the portal, plans his mom is outwardly denying and plans Carrington seems to be cryptically denying. Stay tuned…