Parker Fox spent most of last season thinking this was the end.
After all, the Gophers forward had overcome two devastating knee injuries and was in his seventh overall year of college basketball.
“Okay, that’s enough,” Fox remembered thinking.
But a few days after turning 25 in late February, his body felt great during a road race at Nebraska, and that’s when he started thinking about using his fourth season of eligibility in his eight years. He relayed the piercing thought to assistant coach Dave Thorson, but played as if his collegiate career would end last March.
After the season, Fox still got the itch to play, and head coach Ben Johnson wanted him back. So the Mahtomedi native returns to Williams Arena for the U’s season opener against Oral Roberts on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
The Gophers underwent another massive roster overhaul this offseason, with seven new transfers and two true freshmen joining two returning starters, a backup and a vital glue man off the bench in Fox.
Fans at The Barn loved Fox’s smart and passionate play last season, and he, in turn, would pump them up even more during games. Johnson called him a “do-whatever-needs guy,” who knows his skills and how best to influence victory.
“He gives you that life, that energy, that spark,” Johnson said. “You have to have that somewhere in your setup.”
Fox did things at the end of last season that indicated he was done: He participated in Senior Day against Indiana in early March and kissed the floor at the end of the game. “Those classic last hurray deals,” he said.
Fox tried to read the (dressing) room.
“You don’t want to overstay your welcome, not that I thought I was,” Fox said in October. “But at a certain point you think: I’m turning 26 (in February) and there are 18 and 17 year olds in the gym. What do we have in common?” ”
But he also saw who left – and stayed – in the locker room. Starting point guard Elijah Hawkins transferred to Texas Tech and starting point guard Pharrel Payne transferred to Texas A&M. Name, image and likeness (NIL) agreements played a role in both exits.
Starting shooting guard Cam Christie was picked in the second round of the NBA draft by the Los Angeles Clippers.
“It stinks,” Fox said. “Especially a point guard like Elijah, who really set the table for us. Pharrell, who is our main man inside, and then obviously Cam on the wing, is going to the NBA. You can’t blame things like that.”
But All-Big Ten forward Dawson Garcia and starting guard Mike Mitchell remained in Minnesota for their final seasons.
“Dawson obviously could have gone anywhere,” Fox said. “But just seeing how he stays here and is proud of it and wants to be here has helped me turn that corner. And my family wanted it for me. I wanted it for myself.”
Fox was brought in as a transfer from Division II Northern State in Aberdeen, SD, to play two seasons. “I think in his mind he probably felt a little bit cheated,” Johnson said.
Fox started college during the 2017-18 season, but he redshirted that season. He then played three seasons, from 2018-21, but one year did not count toward his eligibility due to the pandemic. He then lost two years to knee injuries in 2021-22 and is believed to have had two medical waivers before playing last season. So this counts as his fourth year on the job.
Johnson will look to Fox as a “point forward” when he is on the floor, and his playing time could increase, especially if Canisius transfer forward Frank Mitchell is out for long periods due to the shoulder injury he suffered a week ago in the Hamline practice match. past.
Fox played 14 minutes per game in 34 games (one start) a season ago, averaging 5.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 0.8 blocks and 0.5 steals per game.
Off the court, the talkative Fox is establishing himself as a media personality in podcasts and appearances on KFAN, but he still loves basketball and the U of M.
“You can’t do this forever,” he said. “So why not do it again?”
Originally published: November 5, 2024 at 10:55 AM CST