SEATTLE — One program always stood as an obvious candidate to take Niko Medved out of Fort Collins.
Minnesota.
The Colorado State men’s basketball coach is a Minnesota native and graduated from the University of Minnesota (even worked as a student manager there). He served as an assistant at Minnesota in 2006-2007.
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So, if the Minnesota men’s basketball head coach position came open, Medved’s name was a natural fit for the list of candidates.
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That job is open after Minnesota fired Ben Johnson earlier in March. Medved is leading Colorado State in the NCAA Tournament as the No. 12-seed Rams face No. 5 Memphis at noon Mountain on Friday, March 21 (on TBS).
Here’s what to know about the speculation.
What’s been said about Niko Medved to Minnesota
Multiple news outlets in Minnesota have said Medved is the top candidate to replace Johnson, who was fired after going 56-71 over four seasons.
The Minnesota Star Tribune has said Medved is the “favorite to take over at Minnesota.”
“Coach Medved is certainly an elite coach,” CSU athletic director John Weber said on 850 KOA this week. “We’re blessed to have him with us.
“He’s taken us to the tournament three of the last four years. When he’s had that level of success, there’s always going to be people that are knocking on your door. But we’re excited to have him as our coach and look forward to that continuing.”
Weber declined comment when asked by the Coloradoan during the NCAA Tournament.
Medved’s long-standing stance has been not to address coaching rumors and that’s been the case again with this one.
Dave Thorson, a former assistant of Medved’s at CSU, has been named Minnesota’s interim during the coaching search.
Other Niko Medved options on the table?
Medved having chances for different jobs is nothing new. He was a candidate for the Minnesota job four years ago and was in conversations with multiple programs last offseason, even turning down Oklahoma State.
West Virginia just lost Darren DeVries to Indiana after one season and Medved was a name in speculation for that job last year (his wife, Erica, is a native of West Virginia).
Another Big Ten job — Iowa — is also open. Virginia was also another job some considered possible but Ryan Odom is expected to take over.
Medved to Minnesota is considered the most likely outcome for his potential departure.
Niko Medved contract status
Medved enters the 2025 NCAA Tournament with a career record of 221-171 over stops at Furman, Drake and CSU. He’s 142-84 as a Ram, leading the program to the NCAA Tournament in three of the past four seasons.
Medved signed a contract extension after the 2024 season that runs through 2028-29 with options for additional years in 2029-30 and 2030-31.
Here are the contract terms for the deal:
- 2024-25: $1.7 million salary
- 2025-26: $1.75 million salary
- 2026-27: $1.8 million salary
- 2027-28: $1.85 million salary
- 2028-29: $1.9 million salary
- 2029-30 (option): $1.95 million salary
- 2030-31 (option): $2 million salary
The buyout for Medved leaving would be that Medved owes 33% of the remaining contract value.
Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on X and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.
This story has been updated with Weber’s declining comment to the Coloradoan.
