Taison Chatman, a 6-foot-4, 170-pound 2023 guard from Fridley (Minn.) Totino-Grace, is considered the top player in the state of Minnesota in the Class of 2023. Chatman has a scholarship offer from Minnesota and attended several Gopher home games this past season.
Chatman has set up his first three official visits and plans to visit Minnesota this fall. Chatman has scholarship offers from schools, including Minnesota, Texas, Texas Tech, Kansas, Xavier, Connecticut, TCU, Louisville, Nebraska, Marquette, Iowa and Iowa State.
Chatman averaged 13.5 points per game this season as the Eagles finished 26-6 and won their first ever Class AAA title, defeating DeLaSalle 50-44 in the title game. He averaged 13.0 points and 4.7 rebounds in the three state tournament games.
Chatman averaged 12.6 points as he scored in double figures in 14 of 20 games as a sophomore, including a season-best 24 points versus Maple Grove in the season opener.
The Gopher Report caught up with Chatman Friday at the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association to learn the latest in his visits, finally becoming a senior and the last month of his AAU season.
The Gopher Report: You set up a couple of visits already. What are you expecting to learn more about the schools? I know that you are going to Connecticut and Xavier, right?
Taison Chatman: "I leave for UConn tomorrow and next week, I’ve got Xavier for two days and then I go to Kansas next Friday and Saturday. On the visits, I’m just looking forward to getting to know more about the programs. Get to meet the full coaching staff. Get to meet the players and spend time with the whole program."
The Gopher Report: Does that make it seem more real taking these official visits? I know that you’ve been to some campuses in the past.
Chatman: "These are my first three officials, so to me, it’s going to be big. I’m just looking forward to having fun."
The Gopher Report: I know that you were also at the Gopher team camp last Saturday. Did you get a chance to talk to the coaches a little bit while you were there?
Chatman: "We had brief conversations. It wasn’t nothing long."
The Gopher Report: You are technically a senior now. Does that feel kind of weird?
Chatman: "Yeah, it does. High school flew by. It feels like yesterday, I was just in ninth grade, so it’s kind of crazy that me and all my friends are going to be graduating next year and this time, next summer, we’re going to be on a college campus."
The Gopher Report: I got a chance to see your brother, Tian, play at the Gopher Youth camp earlier this week. Have you talked to him a little bit about recruitment, because that is probably going to happen for him a few years down the road?
Chatman: "He’s always in the loop. My brother (Tommy), he got recruited, so he was there, when he got recruited. He is here now when I’m getting recruited, so he is just taking bits and pieces and just learning about the recruiting process."
The Gopher Report: You lost some key players from last year’s Totino team in Ahjany Lee (who will play at St. Thomas) and Demarion Watson (Iowa State), but you have you, Tommy Humphries and Patrick Bath back. How is the team going to be different from this year’s team?
Chatman: "We are not going to have a lot of rim protection, so I think that everyone just has to know our roles and we have to execute them to the fullest. We are going to have a lot more people off the bench this year, so we are expected those guys to come in and choose and play their role."
The Gopher Report: I know that you have a busy July as well. You are playing in South Carolina, an event in Minnesota and one in LA. What are you hoping to show in your last month of AAU basketball?
Chatman: "Really, that I can just play. I can hang with the top competition. I think I am one of the best in my class at what I do, so I am really just looking forward to showcasing that."
The Gopher Report: Have you set any other visits besides those three yet?
Chatman: "No."
The Gopher Report: Are you even going to take an official visit to Minnesota or since it is so close, would you even do that?
Chatman: "Yes, I’m going to take an official to Minnesota. It probably wouldn’t be until the fall during the football season, so I can get the full experience. Football game and all that."
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