Colorado basketball has by no means featured a one-and-done expertise.
That modified this previous season. And that one-and-done designation for Cody Williams grew to become official on Wednesday evening.
Williams highlighted a historic first spherical of the NBA draft for the CU males’s basketball program, getting picked tenth total by the Utah Jazz through the draft’s opening evening on the Barclays Heart in Brooklyn.
Williams grew to become the tenth first-round choose in CU males’s basketball historical past, however that quantity quickly grew to 11 when Tristan da Silva was picked 18th total by Orlando. Williams and da Silva elevated the variety of CU draft picks in 14 years beneath head coach Tad Boyle to 9, whereas rising the overall of first spherical picks beneath Boyle to 5 (additionally Alec Burks, twelfth total in 2011; Andre Roberson, twenty sixth in 2013; and Derrick White, twenty ninth in 2017).
Boyle and the Buffs nonetheless may watch these all-time draft totals rise through the second spherical on Thursday, as KJ Simpson nonetheless awaits his draft destiny (2 p.m. MT, ESPN). Williams grew to become the best draft choose of the Boyle period, and he’s the fourth-highest draft choose in program historical past, trailing Chauncey Billups (third in 1997), Scott Wedman (sixth in 1974) and Cliff Meely (seventh in 1971).
“I’m extraordinarily happy with all three of them,” Boyle stated. “We knew Cody’s potential after we recruited him after which we signed him. He’s not essentially dropped in his inventory. His inventory has achieved nothing however get higher as he progressed by his freshman 12 months and thru the pre-draft course of.”
Accidents restricted Williams to 24 video games throughout his lone season at CU, enjoying the ultimate six off the bench through the postseason whereas nonetheless restricted by an ankle damage that price him the ultimate 4 video games of the common season.
At instances, Williams was dominant, combining with Simpson to maintain the Buffs within the recreation throughout a Nov. 29 loss at Colorado State by capturing 8 for 12 with 21 factors. Williams once more scored 21 factors within the following recreation, a house win towards Pepperdine on Dec. 3, however he suffered a fractured wrist that sidelined him the following seven video games.
Regardless of the setbacks, Williams nonetheless averaged 11.9 factors whereas capturing 55.2% total and 41.5% on 3-pointers, numbers that had been even loftier earlier than struggling to regain his capturing contact through the postseason.
Da Silva completed his four-year CU profession ranked thirteenth on the all-time scoring record (1,456) and ninth in made 3-pointers (150). The versatile 6-foot-9 ahead was a primary staff All-Pac-12 choice in 2023 and a second staff honoree this spring.
Like one-time recruiting classmate Jabari Walker, now enjoying for Billups with the Portland Path Blazers, da Silva can have a possibility to play for one more former Buffs participant in Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley.
It’s the first time within the fashionable historical past of the draft that CU has boasted a pair of first-round picks. If Simpson will get picked within the second spherical, it should mark the primary time within the fashionable draft the Buffs have had three gamers picked. CU additionally had three picks in 1981, however the Buffs’ highest choice in that period’s bloated 10-round draft was Joe Cooper at No. 96 total.
“It says rather a lot about our teaching workers, assistant coaches,” Boyle stated. “It says rather a lot about our energy and conditioning workers and (energy coach) Steve Englehart. It says rather a lot about our coaching workers. (Group coach) Rawley Klingsmith doesn’t get plenty of credit score, however he retains these guys wholesome and will get their our bodies proper. Steve does an important job. Our diet program. We’ve invested some huge cash in diet on the College of Colorado for our student-athletes during the last two to a few years. You see a man like Cody are available in and acquire 11 or 12 kilos his freshman 12 months. Or Tristan, who’s gained 25 over the course of his profession.”
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