University of Minnesota Athletics
Men's Basketball Signs Kris Humphries to Athletic Scholarship
6/16/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
| Click here to listen to audio from press conference |
Humphries a 6-8, 240-pound forward, is a McDonald's and First-Team Parade All-American. He is a consensus top 20 rated player in the country after averaging 25.0 points, 14.0 rebounds, 4.0 steals and 5.0 assists per game as a senior at Hopkins. Humphries originally signed a letter of intent to play at Duke, but was released from his NLI and will appeal to the Steering Committee to regain eligibility for the 2003-04 season.
Humphries was ranked the 10th-best high school player in the nation and second-best power forward by Rivalshoops.com. He was a member of the 2002 USA Basketball Junior World Championship Qualifying Team that finished with a 4-1 record and earned the bronze medal, while qualifying the United States for a berth in the 2003 FIBA Junior World Championship.
Other Humphries accolades:
o 2002 Associated Press Player of the Year
o Minneapolis Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year
o Monter College Basketball News Junior All-American first team
o Gatorade Circle of Champions Minnesota Player of the Year
o Metro Player of the Year
o All-state first team selection
o St. Paul Pioneer Press Player of the Year
o Nike All-American camp honors
o Named MVP of the Five Star Camp
o Ranked 10th-best player in the country by Bob Gibbons
o Member of the A Honor Roll at Hopkins High School
"I am happy to announce I have accepted a scholarship to play basketball at the University of Minnesota," Humphries said in a statement released today. "I am now a Golden Gopher. I look forward to playing for Coach Monson and with my new teammates. I am also looking forward to contributing to the Gophers' success on the court and in the classroom. I believe that Minnesota can compete for the Big Ten title as well as make the NCAA Tournament. I hope I can help make that a reality. My appeal to the National Letter of Intent Steering Committee to regain my 2003-04 eligibility is in the process and I should hear a response within the next month. Any additional information concerning my release from Duke and my appeals process will remain private. I want to thank my family, friends, mentors and coaches for all of the support they have given me throughout the past years and especially the last few weeks. I hope to represent this community in a way that will honor God. Although, I never left Minnesota, it feels great to be back home. Go Gophers!"
