On Wednesday, three-star guar Kai Shinholster officially signed his letter of intent with the Minnesota basketball program as part of their 2025 recruiting class.

The 6-foot-5 shooting guard out of William Penn Charter in Philadelphia committed to the Gophers in early September over offers from Drexel, Mississippi State, UPenn, Radford, Saint Louis, St. Joseph's, and Temple.

"I really enjoy the Gophers offensive game and how they play freely and I also feel I would fit into their defensive schemes that I talked about with Coach Johnson," Shinholster told Gophers Nation at the time of his commitment. "Coach has envisioned me as a player that plays on/off the ball in the guard position which is something I’m comfortable with."

Kai has an elite skill level and can play both on and off the ball,” head coach Ben Johnson said in a press release. “He has the ability to create offense for himself as well as others. Kai has a unique knack for scoring at all three levels. He’s got a great first step, great speed, and offensively is in a position to develop and grow as a player. He’s won at every level he’s played at and can bring that winning mentality here. We’re thrilled to have him as a part of our program.”

As a seasoned and decorated senior captain at Penn Charter, Shinholster is a shifty combo guard who really gets downhill and sees the floor. He's able to snake his way into the lane and uses the angles and also draw in defenders before kicking it out to perimeter shooters.

His feel for the game and the controlled, game-managing pace he plays at is what makes him such a stabilizing influence at Penn Charter.

While nothing is ever promised in the topsy-turvy world of recruiting, Shinholster jumped at the opportunity of instant playing time.

Minnesota currently has a handful of seniors on the roster.

While they are still likely to pursue the portal next off-season, Shinholster has the battle-tested experience as a four-year varsity player with significant post-season production.

The Philadelphia native possesses range and a knack for straight-on and corner 3-pointers, with the integral ingredients to be a floor spreader while playing off the ball at the next level.

The wiry guard has positional versatility with his rebounding. He's shown consistency in snatching rebounds in traffic and also keying the transition game fresh off a defensive board. Defensively, he can sit down on smaller point guards. He's got length and the multi-positional attributes that appeal to the next level.

Unlike many in today's game, Shinholster didn't let the process play out. He was sold on his visit last week and pulled the trigger immediately after his campus visit" - Zach Smart

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