Top 10 Minnesota Golden Gophers basketball players of all time

6. Jim Brewer (1970-73)

He might not have scored much, but Brewer’s impressive ball handling and passing skills set a new standard for forwards. His defense and on-the-court leadership helped cement him as one of the university’s “Iron Five” that won the the 1972 Big Ten championship and was ranked 11th in the country. Brewer joined the Gophers’ 1,000-point club with 1,009 points in 75 games, averaging 13.5 points per game. His 907 career rebounds ranks fourth all-time in school history. Brewer became the first U-M Black player to have his jersey number retired (#52) on March 5, 1973.