Colorado
Colorado men’s basketball transfer portal tracker ahead of 2024-25 season
Colorado basketball and coach Tad Boyle have had to re-tool the Buffs roster after one of the most successful seasons in program history.
Each of Colorado’s top six rotation players from the 2023-24 campaign have transferred or entered the NBA draft. Boyle’s Buffs won a program-record 26 games last season (and back-to-back NCAA Tournament wins for the first time since 1955) and a pair of transfers were crucial to that.
As Colorado transitions into the Big 12, the portal will have to be utilized once again with so much production on its way out of Boulder.
With that in mind, here’s a look at the players leaving the Colorado men’s basketball program and those who will join via transfer.
This list will be updated through the offseason as players leave and join the Buffaloes.
Colorado players entering transfer portal or NBA draft
EDDIE LAMPKIN JR.
Position: Center
Notable: The 6-foot-11, 265-pound big man was an emotional leader for Colorado in his first season with the Buffaloes. Lampkin Jr. played in all 37 games, averaging 10.6 points and seven rebounds per game. The former TCU center is headed to Syracuse to play for the Orange.
J’VONNE HADLEY
Position: Forward
Notable: The 6-foot-6, 205-pound senior improved mightily in his second season at Colorado, setting career highs in points (11.6), rebounds (six), assists (2.4), field goal percentage (53.8%) and 3-point percentage (41.7%). Hadley, a former junior college standout, will also spend the 2024-25 campaign in the ACC after committing to Louisville.
LUKE O’BRIEN
Position: Forward
Notable: The 6-foot-8, 220-pound senior spent the last four years at Colorado and set career highs in both points (6.7) and field goal percentage (45.6%) last season. O’Brien, a Littleton native, will finish his college basketball career at Georgia Tech.
TRISTAN DA SILVA
Position: Forward
Notable: The 6-foot-9, 220-pound senior spent the entirety of his college career at Colorado and was a three-year starter. da Silva, who averaged 16 points and 5.1 rebounds per game last season, is headed to the NBA draft as a projected first-round pick.
KJ SIMPSON
Position: Guard
Notable: The 6-foot-2, 190-pound junior was a first-team All-Pac selection last season as he led Colorado in points (19.7 per game), assists (4.9), steals (1.6) and 3-point percentage (43.4%). Simpson declared for the 2024 NBA draft earlier this month and is projected to be a fringe first-round pick.
CODY WILLIAMS
Position: Forward
Notable: The 6-foot-8, 190-pound freshman flashed enough of his high upside as a true freshman to be a potential lottery pick. Williams missed 13 games last season with various injuries (wrist, face, ankle) but still managed to average 11.9 points on 55.2% shooting from the field on 41.5% shooting from deep. The former McDonald’s All-American should hear his name called early on during the 2024 NBA draft.
Players transferring to Colorado
TREVOR BASKIN
Position: Forward
Notable: The 6-foot-9, 200-pound forward was Colorado’s first addition from the transfer portal this offseason. Baskin averaged 18.5 points (39% from deep), 8.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game last season for Division II Colorado Mesa. After choosing the Buffs over Colorado State, Baskin projects to be a starter for Boyle in 2024.
“The first thing you look at when you see (Trevor) play is his diverse skill set,” Boyle said Monday in a news release. “For a guy that’s 6-foot-9 with a long wingspan, he can really shoot the ball, put it on the floor and he can pass and rebound. He can do a little bit of everything.
“When you lose a Tristan da Silva, who’s 6-foot-9, with a great diverse skill set, and you’re able to pick up a guy like Trevor, it makes you feel better about Tristan’s loss. Trevor’s going to be able to impact the game in a lot of different ways, and the thing I like about him is he can play multiple positions offensively and guard multiple positions defensively. Anyone who has followed Colorado basketball knows it’s something that we value.”
ANDREJ JAKIMOVSKI
Position: Forward
Notable: The 6-foot-8, 220-pound senior from Macedonia started all 35 games he played in last season for Washington State (33.7 minutes per game) and averaged 9.7 points to go along with 5.6 rebounds. Jakimovski dropped a team-high 19 points on the Buffs in Boulder on Dec. 31, has 80 career starts under his belt and should slot right into Colorado’s starting lineup for 2024-25 alongside Baskin.
More: Colorado basketball picks up Washington State transfer Andrej Jakimovski from portal
“I think our five-out system is really going to help Andrej expand his game offensively and show some other things he’s capable of doing, that he didn’t have a chance to at Washington State based on their personnel (primarily playing with two bigs),” Boyle said Monday in a news release. “They had a heck of a team, finished second in the league, one spot ahead of the Buffaloes. I’ve got great respect for Andrej, and what he’s done in his career at Washington State and I think he can build on that as he comes to Colorado for a year.
“We lost the majority of our 3-point shooting this year, and so to be able to sign a guy that is a proven 3-point shooter at the highest level of college basketball is something we needed to replace. The thing I love about Andrej is his toughness and his ability to rebound both offensively and defensively.”
ELIJAH MALONE
Position: Center
Notable: The 6-foot-10 big man was the NAIA Player of the Year last season as he averaged 17.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.5 blocks last season at Grace College. Malone was one of the hottest names in the transfer portal, choosing Colorado over Boise State, Indiana, Notre Dame and others. The 2024 Bevo Francis Award winner, given to the best player among all of small college basketball (NCAA Div. II, Div. III, NAIA, junior colleges), gives the Buffs a formidable paint presence.
“Elijah could have left Grace College after his sophomore or junior years and very easily gone to the Division I level,” Boyle said Monday in a news release. “But the fact that he showed loyalty to his teammates and coaching staff that he signed with coming out of high school, that tells you everything you need to know about his character and kind of person he is. His value system and our value system are aligned very well.
“He wants to be able to prove himself at the highest level of college basketball and playing in the Big 12 is going to allow him the opportunity to do that. The way we play our style and the way he played at Grace College are very similar. So I feel really good about him in terms of what we lost and what we need for next year’s team. He fits the bill perfectly.”
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This holiday season, festive decorations may be at risk of being ripped down by an surprising culprit.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has warned residents of the state that they are receiving large numbers of calls from people who have had deer getting their antlers tangled up in their Christmas decorations and other yard equipment.
While deer are usually rather clumsy creatures, they become much more erratic and aggression-prone at this time of year, as they are frantically searching for a mate.
“Our wildlife officers respond to calls every year of deer stuck in various netting and holiday decorations,” CPW Area Wildlife Manager Adrian Archuleta said in a statement.
Alan Ziff / CPW
Colorado Parks and Wildlife warns residents that male deer may find themselves getting tangled up in swing sets, sports netting, hosepipes, Christmas lights and even bicycles during the rut season.
There are two main types of deer native to Colorado: mule deer and white-tailed deer. The rut of both species typically peaks in mid to late November and can extend into late December in some areas.
During the rut, bucks are highly active and display behaviors aimed at attracting does and establishing dominance over other males. This can include traveling extensively, often during daylight, and also engaging in sparring or even full-blown fights to establish dominance and breeding rights.
This activity is how the male deer end up getting tangled up in things like Christmas lights.
“In some cases, these hazards prevent the deer from being able to eat and breathe. Additionally, this causes high levels of stress on the animal and can lead to fatality,” Archuleta said.
The public is advised to ensure holiday decorations and lights are firmly attached to solid structures, and hung at least eight feet from the ground. Hanging the lights on trees or bushes is discouraged, as the deer often rub their antlers against plants or tree trunks to sharpen them during the rut.
If you encounter a deer that has become tangled or trapped, you should not attempt to free it yourself, as the deer are often increasingly aggressive at this time of year.
“When deer do become entangled, it is important for the public to call their closest CPW office quickly with location information,” Archuleta said.
“People should never try to free deer of these hazards themselves because of the serious risk of injury that can be caused by antlers and hooves.”
Additionally, deer can carry diseases such as chronic wasting disease, tuberculosis and acidosis. This is why it is illegal to feed wild deer in Colorado.
“Attracting deer can concentrate them in small spaces, making disease easier to spread, attracting predators, and causing them to lose their natural fear of people,” the CPW warn on their website.
During the rut, deer may be seen on the roads more frequently, so drivers are also advised to keep an eye out.
“Drivers are also reminded to slow down and be on the lookout for deer on highways. Not only are bucks in pursuit of a mate, but animals are also migrating to winter range and will be more present crossing roadways both on highways and arterial roadways,” the CPW said in the statement.
Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about deer? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.
Colorado
Town Council in Colorado’s Castle Rock approves measure expressing support for Trump’s immigration policies
The Castle Rock Town Council on Tuesday approved a measure expressing support for President-elect Donald Trump’s immigration policies. The measure also expresses a willingness to lawfully cooperate with federal immigration officials in implementing policies in the Colorado municipality.
All of the council at the evening meeting voted in favor of the resolution, except for one council person who abstained. Right before the vote, the council members referenced the violence that has been happening in Aurora at an apartment complex.
Earlier this year the council voted unanimously to explore suing the city of Denver over its migrant policies.
Trump has selected Tom Homan to be his “border czar” and he recently blasted Denver Mayor Mike Johnston for his opposition to planned mass deportations and willingness to use civil disobedience to ignore deportation orders for Denver residents.
“Look, me and the Denver mayor, we agree on one thing. He’s willing to go to jail. I’m willing to put him in jail,” Homan said last month.
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