Whether or not Both Gach’s next stop is a college campus remains to be seen, but if it is, his plans are starting to come into focus.
Gach, who declared for the NBA draft on April 6 before entering the NCAA Transfer Portal as a University of Utah sophomore on May 18, tweeted out a list of five schools he is considering, Minnesota, Maryland, Creighton, Iowa State, and Auburn.
The Golden Gophers making the cut has long been expected given Gach grew up in Austin, Minn., roughly 100 miles south of Minneapolis.
A 6-foot-6 guard who averaged 10.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 27 games last season for the Utes, Gach can continue to go through the recruiting process, but things will remain complicated for as long as his name remains in the underclassman pool for the NBA draft.
The NCAA’s deadline for underclassmen to remove their name from draft consideration and maintain collegiate eligibility was originally June 3, but has been extended to a to-be-determined date as the college sports governing body awaits a potential resumption of the NBA. If a targeted resumption date of July 31 comes to fruition, the NBA draft, which has not yet officially been canceled from June 25, isn’t likely to take place until late September. Given that, the NCAA could theoretically set a withdrawal date early September. While that could benefit prospects seeking more time and feedback to make a decision, it would extend roster instability for college coaches.
To that end, while Gach is no longer in the mix at Utah, Utes junior-to-be Timmy Allen also declared for the NBA draft, meaning the return of the program’s most-important player is up in the air and there may not be clarity on the situation for potentially another two months.
