Joe Coleman Ready To Start Gopher Career

Joe Coleman helped lead the Royals to a 31-1 record and a third straight Class AAAA title in March. He was also winner of Minnesota’s Mr. Basketball Award, the state's Gatorade Player of the Year and Minneapolis Star Tribune All-Metro Player of the Year. 

Coleman signed with Minnesota last fall and is currently enrolled in summer school. He is one of four newcomers for the Golden Gophers and is playing with several of his new teammates in the Howard Pulley Pro-Am Summer League.  

Patch caught up with Coleman at Tubby Smith team camp this weekend to learn more about getting ready for his freshman year and his top Hopkins moments.

Hopkins Patch: How is summer school going so far?

Joe Coleman: It is going well. I have one class right now and my second class, History of Rock 'N' Roll, starts up in July.

Hopkins Patch: Do you think that gives you a good introduction to slowly integrate yourself into college?

Coleman: It definitely gives you a little start on how to work on your time management and adjusting to all the things that are going on in college life. It helps out a lot.

Hopkins Patch: You are playing the Howard Pulley Pro-Am Summer League. How is that going so far?

Coleman: It is going well. We lost our first game, but we ended up winning our second. We are at least winning some games and hopefully, we can win some more.

Hopkins Patch: You have three other Gopher teammates on your squad, right?

Coleman: Andre (Hollins), Chris (Halvorsen) and Oto (Osenieks). It definitely helps to be able to play with them. It helps build some chemistry and we all just used to each other.

Hopkins Patch: You seem like you’ve got bigger since the end of the season.

Coleman: Actually, since I have gotten down here, I have lost some weight, but I think that it is more lean muscle. I have definitely been working hard in the weight room.

Hopkins Patch: What types of things are you working on to get ready for your freshman season?

Coleman: I would say my ballhandling. At Hopkins, I wasn’t really having to be a ballhandler, because I was one of the bigger players. I just have to work on my ballhandling and adjust to the college game.

Hopkins Patch: Have you gotten a feeling for your role this upcoming season? I know that you haven’t really had a chance to work out with the coaches, but the team lost guards Al Nolen and Blake Hoffarber to graduation, so there is playing time available for wing players.

Coleman: Definitely. Come in and be a slasher, similar to what I was at Hopkins. I am just going to be more on the outside than be inside. I just have to adjust to that.

Hopkins Patch: How does it feel to be part of the “U?” I know that you have followed the program for a long time and your brother, Dan, played here.

Coleman: It feels nice. It felt like forever since I signed, but it is finally here and I am happy. I’m ready

Hopkins Patch: You had a great career at Hopkins, winning three state titles. What really stands out as some of the biggest memories of your time there?

Coleman: I’d definitely say playing with that team in ’09 and then winning this three-peat against Eden Prairie was something that stood out the most for me.

Hopkins Patch: Did you guys really ever feel the pressure because you knew every night that you were getting everybody’s best game?

Coleman: Every night was pressure. Every game was stressful. You just had to come out and make sure that you did what you know how to do and just do it every single time and hopefully, it would just leads to wins and it did.