Former Colorado Buffaloes safety Xavier Smith shared some insight on his departure from the program as Deion Sanders came into Boulder and took over as head coach.

Smith took issue with the way Sanders dealt with the players who were around after Karl Dorrell was fired and Mike Sanders wasn’t retained. Sanders came over from Jackson State in a high-profile move that changed the attention around the football program.

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But Smith said the way Sanders handled things could’ve been better.

“He was destroying guys’ confidence and belief in themselves,” Smith told The Athletic in a story published Monday. “The way he did it, it could’ve been done with a little more compassion.”

Smith, who entered the 2022 season trying to get healthy from a broken leg he suffered in his senior season and then a hamstring injury during the season, told the outlet he was optimistic going into a meeting with Sanders, thinking that Coach Prime would work with the younger players. He was only a redshirt freshman at the time.

He said he was brought into the office with safety Oakie Salave’a and heard from defensive coordinator Charles Kelly and Sanders.

COLORADO LOSES TOP RUNNING BACK IN TRANSFER PORTAL IN BLOW TO DEION SANDERS-LED TEAM

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders speaks with Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) between plays during the home opener game between the Colorado Buffaloes and the the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday, September 9, 2023 at Folsom Field in Boulder, CO.  (Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

He told The Athletic that Sanders told him he should “probably hit the portal” and didn’t want him to “waste a year thinking I could earn a spot.”

“I was actually getting mad, like tears coming to my eyes. Because, bro, you never even tried to get to know me,” Smith added.

Smith was eventually able to transfer to UTEP.

Sanders was pretty blunt when he took the program over, especially after the team’s first spring game.

“You all know that we’re going to move on from some of the team members, and we’re going to reload and get some kids that we really identify with,” Sanders said after the spring game, according to The Athletic. “So, this process is going to be quick, it’s going to be fast, but we’re going to get it done.”

He also preached “hope” after last year’s National Signing Day.

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders watches the run of play during the home opener game between the Colorado Buffaloes and the the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday, September 9, 2023 at Folsom Field in Boulder, CO.  (Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

“We’re not recruiting just no ordinary Tom, Dick and Harry,” Sanders said on National Signing Day. “We recruited some guys that can light up the scoreboard and prevent touchdowns from occurring. We’re coming. We’re serious about that.

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“Hope is in the house. Hope is in the air. Hope is in the city. Hope is in the community.”

Fox News’ Joe Morgan contributed to this report.

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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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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – Springs police say they had to use force after a suspect became aggressive while being taken into custody.

Officers had been called to the area of North Union and Lelaray late Sunday morning on reports of that suspect trespassing at a business.

“[He] had previously verbally assaulted employees of the business,” a CSPD lieutenant said.

The police department has not named the business, only that it was in the 1700 block of North Union.

The man was still in the area when police got on scene, but when officers tried contacting him, they say things quickly went south.

“He became argumentative, physically aggressive, and non-compliant with officers,” the lieutenant said. “Physical force was ultimately utilized to detain the subject.”

Police say neither the suspect or the officer trying to arrest him were hurt. The suspect is facing several suspects and remains in the El Paso County Jail Monday morning. He’s been identified by police as Adam Borges.

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