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Two veterans, three rookies, and one swoll Jabari Walker.
In what figures to be a big year for Colorado basketball, there are eight former (and forever) Buffaloes playing or head coaching in the NBA this year. That feels like a program record — not one I’m going to check — and another reason to celebrate Tad Boyle’s success turning a basement dweller into an established professional development program.
Alec Burks — Miami Heat
We’re going with the old heads first. Burks was the 11th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft and has been hooping for thirteen going on fourteen years. (Yes, you should feel old.) He struggled with injuries early in his career, but has since become a veteran role player capable of hitting threes, playing point when needed, and committing just enough on defense to get another contract. He’s now in Miami where he should play a consistent bench role on a playoff contender.
Spencer Dinwiddie — Dallas Mavericks
Dinwiddie is entering his 11th season (!) in the NBA, as he heads back to Texas for his second stint on the Mavericks. Since breaking out in 2017-18, Dinwiddie has vacillated between an empty stats guy on a bad team to doing the little things for winning teams. Last year was a microcosm of that, as he split time between the Nets and Lakers with varying stats and disparate roles. Now on Dallas, he figures to be a winning role player playing alongside Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and
Jabari Walker — Portland Trail Blazers
At just 22-years-old, Jabari Walker enters his third year in the pros. Clearly he’s been working on his body because he looks like a grown man in his latest team pictures. That bulk should help solidify his role with the Blazers. He’s a selfless player who plays solid team defense, set screens and hits open shots, and is a voracious rebounder. He averaged 8.9 points and 7.1 rebounds in just 23 minutes per game, stats that should only improve as he gets stronger, smarter and more confident in his abilities.
Cody Williams — Utah Jazz
Drafted 10th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, Cody Williams is a high-upside pick for the rebuilding Jazz. He’s a late blooming 19-year-old who needs to fill out his 6’7, 190-lbs. frame — in other words, he’s going to take time to develop. Williams will have no pressure to produce right away. Utah has little ambition to compete this year, they already have a star player in Lauri Markkanen to play through, and there are other prospects to help bear the weight of expectations. Cody might not see much of him this season, but that’s probably the best thing for his long-term development.
Tristan da Silva — Orlando Magic
Maybe the greatest success story from the Tad Boyle era, Tristan da Silva went from unknown overseas recruit to the 18th pick in the NBA Draft. An intelligent and selfless player, da Silva has developed into a legit shooter, a skilled scorer and passer from the high post, and a crafty driver who can finish with either hand. Orlando drafted him to play a significant role on their playoff-caliber roster, as he figures into a bench role behind Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Da Silva should be on everyone’s radar this season and beyond, particularly if he continues to develop his game.
KJ Simpson — Charlotte Hornets
Finally we have KJ Simpson, the heart and soul of the Buffs during his three years in Boulder. Simpson balled out last season and should have won Pac-12 Player of the Year over Caleb Love. He’s a fighter, a nasty pull-up shooter, and has a knack for getting through the tight spaces of the opposing defense. Charlotte drafted the 6’0, 190-lbs. guard 42nd overall and signed him to the two-way contract. He will spend time in the G League, but he still figures into the Hornets rotation as a spark plug off the bench. He just has to transition into a more pass-first role than he played in college and prove himself as an on-ball defender.
Chauncey Billups — Portland Trail Blazers
Fresh off his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Billups enters his fourth season at helm of the Blazers. He initially agreed to a four-year contract thinking he would coach Damian Lillard, but the star guard pushed for a trade and Portland was left to rebuild. Billups has done well to build a positive environment given the hand he was dealt, but he’s struggled as a tactician, as his team has looked aimless on offense and confused on defense. He enters his final year of his contract and will only be re-signed if he shows significant growth.
Jamahl Mosley — Orlando Magic
On the opposite side of the coaching spectrum, former Buff and long-time assistant coach Jamahl Mosley has looked fantastic since the Magic hired him three years ago. He spent his first two seasons building Orlando’s defensive identity and then last season won 47 games, pushed the Cleveland Cavaliers in a seven-game series, and finished second to OKC’s Mark Daigneault in Coach of the Year voting. Orlando is only getting stronger, as they signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, extended Wendell Carter and drafted da Silva to compliment their young core of Banchero, Wagner and Jalen Suggs.
There are plenty more Tad-era players still hooping abroad. There are at least 11 Buffs playing overseas: McKinley Wright IV (Montenegro), André Roberson (France), George King (Phillipines), D’Shawn Schwartz (Germany), Tyler Bey (Israel), Xavier Johnson (Italy), Lucas Siewart (Canada), Jeriah Horne (Hungary), Lazar Nikolić (Italy), Daylen Kountz (Hungary) and Thomas Akyazılı (Turkey).
It’s also worth mentioning the six Buffs still hanging around the college ranks: Luke O’Brien (Georgia Tech), J’Vonne Hadley (Louisville), Eddie Lampkin (Syracuse), Dominique Clifford (CSU), Lawson Lovering (Utah) and Keeshawn Barthelemy (Oregon). Two others are in college ball as assistant coaches, as Nate Tomlinson is working with Kim English at Providence, while Evan Battey joined the coaching staff at Colorado.
by Sam Metivier
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