Cal Basketball: Bears Secure Another Commitment - Minnesota Forward Josh Ola-Joseph

One-time 3-star prospect started 42 consecutive games for the Gophers before a concussion late last season.

Josh Ola-Joseph / Photo by Kelly Hagenson

Forward Josh Ola-Joseph, who started 42 consecutive games over two years at Minnesota, announced his commitment to play next season for Cal basketball.

A 6-foot-7, 215-pound junior-to-be averaged 10.4 points the first 20 games this season before sustaining a concussion. He played just 5 minutes per game the rest of the season.

Ola-Joseph is the fifth commitment coach Mark Madsen has secured out of the transfer portal since the end of the season, when all five Cal starters departed. Point guard Christian Tucker of Texas-San Antonio committed earlier Saturday. Madsen also received a recent commitment from junior college transfer Jeff Nwankwo, giving Cal six additions to the roster since the end of the 2023-24 season.

Ola-Joseph is a native of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, but played his senior high school season at Compass Prep in Arizona, where he was rated a 3-star prospect.

He averaged 7.5 points and 2.2 rebounds this season, including 17 points against Florida Gulf Coast and 15 vs. Iowa. He scored 17 against Rutgers a year ago when he produced 7.4 points and 2.7 rebounds as a freshman.

Ola-Joseph is a career 57-percent shooter, including nearly 61 percent this season. He converted 41 percent (13 of 32) from the 3-point arc this season.

He reportedly picked Cal after receiving interest from Nebraska, Oklahoma, Ole Miss and Texas Tech.