Minnesota forward Pharrel Payne enters NCAA transfer portal

Minnesota forward Pharrel Payne has entered the NCAA transfer portal, On3 has learned. Payne appeared in 32 games this past season, making 19 starts. He helped the Golden Gophers to a 19-15 record in 2023-24.

The Minnesota native averaged 10 points and 6.1 rebounds per game for the Golden Gophers this past season.

Pharrel Payne signed with Minnesota as a three-star recruit in the class of 2022. He was ranked as the No. 204 overall player in the country, according to the On3 Industry rankings.

Pharrel Payne averaged 22 points, 12 rebounds and 2 blocks per game as a senior at Park High School Cottage Grove, prior to signing with Minnesota.

As a true freshman in 2022-23 he played in 30 games, making four starts. He averaged an impressive 8.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game that season.

Payne had an even better year in 2023-24, scoring in double figures 15 times and recording a pair of double-doubles. Now Pharrel Payne is off to the transfer portal, where he will look to continue to develop his game at another school.

It was an up-and-down season overall for the Golden Gophers, who had some big wins but also some tough losses. Minnesota did reach the NIT, beating Butler in the first round, before falling at Indiana State as its season came to an end.

Minnesota forward Joshua Ola-Joseph plans to enter transfer portal

Pharrel Payne became the second Minnesota forward in a 24-hour span to leave the program. On3’s Joe Tipton reported on Wednesday that Joshua Ola-Joseph is planning to enter the transfer portal.

The 6-foot-7 sophomore averaged 7.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 0.5 assists in only 15.7 minutes per game this season.

The Minnesota native appeared in 29 games this past season, making 19 starts. As a freshman, Ola-Joseph played in 31 games, making 24 starts. He averaged 7.4 points and 2.7 rebounds per game that year as a true freshman.

Prior to coming to Minnesota, Ola-Joseph played at Compass Prep in Arizona, appearing in 10 games. Before that, he attended Osseo High School, averaging 16.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 3.0 blocks per game his junior season.

Ole-Joseph was ranked as a three-star recruit and the No. 222 overall player in the country in the class of 2022, according to the On3 Industry rankings. Richard Pitino now has some holes to fill on the Golden Gophers roster before the start of the 2024-25 season.