Maple Grove’s Jack Thelen to sign with the University of Connecticut men’s basketball team

The Crimson four-star senior center switched his commitment from Wisconsin and will sign with UConn during the NCAA’s early signing period that began on Wednesday.

The Details

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• Marcus Fuller
• The Minnesota Star Tribune
• November 11, 2026 at

Maple Grove boys basketball standout Jack Thelen committed to UConn Wednesday, the first day of the NCAA’s early signing period, and plans to sign with the Huskies.

Thelen, a 7-foot center and four-star prospect, committed to Wisconsin in June, but decided on Oct. 15 to reopen his recruitment.

“I love their track record with developing big men who I see myself in [that mold] a little bit,” Thelen told Strib Varsity. “They also coach their guys with 100% effort, just like they expect their players to play with 100% effort.”

After his phone buzzed with calls from Power Four conference college basketball coaches, Thelen visited UConn and Illinois. Both programs offered him scholarships.

“I saw a pretty hard-coached practice, and that made me excited about being able to be a part of that,” Thelen said about UConn.

The Badgers were his only offer from a major conference when Thelen committed on June 13, but he had offers from Miami (Ohio), Murray State and Montana. The Gophers also showed interest.

As a junior, Thelen averaged 13.5 points and 9.0 rebounds for the Crimson, who finished 24-8 and fourth at the Class 4A state tournament last season.

Thelen’s Maple Grove teammate and senior guard Baboucarr Ann signed with Wisconsin on Wednesday.

Prep Hoops ranks Ann No. 1 and Thelen No. 3 in Minnesota’s 2027 class, but the 247Sports composite lists Thelen as Minnesota’s top senior prospect and No. 111 nationally.

Other boys basketball seniors in Minnesota to sign to D-I programs Wednesday included: Cretin-Derham Hall’s Ty Schlagel (Nebraska), Edina’s Vincent Cronin (Miami-Ohio), Totino-Grace’s Malachi Hill (Tennessee Tech), DeLaSalle’s Deon Wallace-Johnson and Chaska’s Tyler Forrest (both South Dakota State) and Anoka’s Bryce Gaustad (North Dakota).