Despite the struggles of the Colorado men’s basketball team this season, a core of players with worlds of potential is waiting in the wings.
The Buffaloes currently sit at 10-15 (1-13 Big 12) and haven't given fans very much to get excited about. They came into the year very inexperienced, with forward Andrej Jakimovski being their only player who started at the Division I level in the 2023-2024 season. Their three top scorers, guard Julian Hammond III, Jakimovski and forward Trevor Baskin are all graduating in 2025, so the Buffs will need production from new faces in their starting lineup.
Here’s a look at six underclassmen who have what it takes to be the foundation of a new and successful era of CU men’s basketball.
Sebastian Rancik (Forward)
Birthplace: Bratislava, Slovakia
Class: Freshman
HT/WT: 6-foot-9, 210 pounds
The former four-star high school recruit has been one of the most exciting players to watch for CU down the stretch of the season, producing at a very high level in his increased playing time. Sebastian Rancik recorded a career-high 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting in the Buffs’ 71-59 road loss to No. 17 Kansas and was truly the only player keeping them in the game offensively. He’s shown immense growth since mid-January when he saw his first double-digit scoring game in conference play against Oklahoma State.
Rancik has been a dynamic scorer with gradually improving shot selection, especially with how he gets to the rim. In his last five games, he’s shot 14-of-21 inside the arc, good for a 67% clip.
The Kansas game was a great display of his potential as an overall player, as he tallied nine rebounds, a steal, a block and two assists to go along with his prominent scoring night. This is something that could become a pattern in the future, as his tall frame and elite athleticism give him all the tools to be a great rebounder and defender. Despite his youth, Rancik has managed to emerge as a leader on this team, a role he will likely remain in as the program builds around him in the coming years.
Bangot Dak (Forward)
Birthplace: Lincoln, Nebraska
Class: Sophomore
HT/WT: 6-foot-11, 185 pounds
Bangot Dak has been placed into a starting role this season and has shown flashes of star potential at several points since. He has multiple double-digit point performances this season, including a career-high 19 against Cincinnati. He’s not your average scoring big man, however, as he finds his production out of the triple threat, hard drives to the rim and off the lob as opposed to post-scoring.
Yet, one of his biggest concerns has been his inconsistent rebounding numbers. Given his height and over 7-foot wingspan, he’s expected to bring high rebounding totals to the team. This is primarily a size issue, as he isn’t able to compete as well with heavier centers and power forwards off the glass despite his good length.
That said, this is something that will come with time and development. He’s proven his blocking ability, averaging 1.5 per game with a season-high of eight in that Cincinnati game. Dak is also only 19 years old and in his sophomore year, so given the proper coaching and training, he should be able to add some more mass to his tall frame and become a top interior threat for the Buffs in the next few years.
Assane Diop (Forward)
Birthplace: Dakar, Senegal
Class: Sophomore
HT/WT: 6-foot-8, 210 pounds
The Senegal native has played very limited minutes in the 2024-2025 season but has displayed solid potential in the small sample size. Assane Diop has brought the majority of his value on defense and the glass, displaying the physical talents to be a premier player in those areas. He’s also shown he has what it takes to be an efficient shooter, posting 50% or higher splits in eight games this season, though on few attempts.
Diop has also displayed great physicality in several contests, along with a willingness to take contact and head to the free-throw line. He’s attempted six or more free throws in five games this year, a considerable number given his inconsistent minutes. He’s been efficient from the charity stripe as well, as his 81.5% clip is good for third on the team.
He’s struggled with foul trouble and turnovers though, and that has played a major role in his up-and-down minutes. With that said, Diop is a player who will continue to develop on defense and as a rebounder in the next few years, with his physicality continuing to serve as a catalyst for the team as a whole.
Harrison Carrington (Guard)
Birthplace: Menlo Park, California
Class: Sophomore
HT/WT: 6-foot-7, 207 pounds
Harrison Carrington is a former walk-on who has slowly been proving himself to the program and coaching staff over the past two seasons and is poised to be a long-term contributor to the team.
He redshirted last season and earned a full scholarship in September of 2024. During his redshirt year, he appeared in 14 games, scoring a total of 15 points on 42% shooting. This season, he’s seen an increase in playing time, appearing in 23 total games with a career-high 22 minutes against Cincinnati. His scoring has been spotty when he’s been on the court but he’s been an efficient scorer overall, currently shooting 59.5% from the field. He’s also been very efficient from the free throw line, shooting 82.9% which is good for second on the team.
His physicality on defense and off the glass has also taken a major leap forward this season, as he’s now averaging 1.3 rebounds per game, over double his average from last year’s small sample size. He’s seen his minutes dip occasionally due to turnovers, registering 21 total to this point in the year.
That said, these are all things that will develop with time, and he’s proven he possesses all the potential to blossom into the exact player-coach Boyle needs him to be for this team.
RJ Smith (Guard)
Birthplace: Chino, California
Class: Sophomore
HT/WT: 6’3”, 190 pounds
RJ Smith is another player who redshirted during his freshman year in 2023-2024 but has started to emerge in a rotational role this year, even starting in nine games. He recorded a career-high 14 points against No. 3 ranked Iowa State which came after back-to-back 11-point games against South Dakota State and Bellarmine. He’s shown potential in the assist department as well, averaging just under two per game in his 24 appearances.
He’s also displayed the ability to generate big plays on defense, recording two or more steals in four contests this year. Smith is a very athletic player with a high ceiling who has already begun to see consistent minutes this season. He will be a priority to bring back to the team in 2025 as he will bring some of the most starting experience to an inexperienced roster overall in the coming campaign.
Felix Kossaras (Guard)
Birthplace: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Class: Freshman
HT/WT: 6-foot-5, 192 pounds
Felix Kossaras was also a four-star recruit out of high school, attending Fort Erie International Academy in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada. He was a member of Team Canada in the 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup and was the No. 21 ranked guard in the class of 2024 (On3). Through high school, Kossaras displayed excellent shooting ability, most notably from beyond the arc, even winning the 3-point contest at the Basketball Without Borders Global Camp at the 2023 NBA All-Star Game.
He played solid minutes early in the season, registering 49 in the Buffs’ first four games. These minutes took a dip in conference play, however, with his highest in that span being 11 against TCU. Due to the team’s struggles, he has seen more playing time in recent games. This included a chance to play in a close game against the No. 5-ranked Houston Cougars where he made both of his shot attempts, including a 3-pointer.
Kossaras's shooting is something that will continue to develop as he grows in the Buffaloes’ system, but he’s also shown he can impact the game in other ways. Through those first four games, he registered nine rebounds, playing much bigger than his size would indicate off the glass. Kossaras is another case of raw talent that needs time to develop, but there’s no question that when he does, he can be a major contributor for head coach Tad Boyle and the Buffs.
Andrew Crawford (Guard)
Birthplace: Littleton, Colorado
Class: Freshman
HT/WT: 6-foot-6, 180 pounds
Andrew Crawford is a homegrown guard who was born just two hours from Boulder in Littleton, Colorado. He attended ThunderRidge High School in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, where he guided the Grizzlies to the state championship in three of his four seasons. He was a prominent scorer during that time, with a career average of 14.3 points per game on just under 50% shooting. This performance saw him ranked as a consensus four-star recruit and the No. 1 recruit in the state of Colorado in 2024 (On3). Buffs fans haven’t seen much of Crawford though, as he chose to redshirt this season.
“It’s a mature choice on his part,” Boyle said when discussing Crawford’s decision. “Essentially, it’s a trade-off—sacrificing his freshman year, where he might see limited action, for the prospect of playing a more significant role as a fifth-year senior, possibly logging 30 to 35 minutes on the court.”
Scouts believe Crawford has all the raw talent to be a premier scorer for Colorado in coming years, and with his choice to redshirt this year, he’s had ample time to develop and hone that talent, now with hopes of in-game production over the next several seasons.
Courtney Anderson Jr. (Guard)
Birthplace: Vallejo, California
Class: Freshman
HT/WT: 6-foot-5, 192 pounds
Courtney Anderson Jr. is similar to Crawford in that he elected to redshirt his freshman year. The former three-star recruit (247sports) decided after battling injury early last season.
Anderson also displayed plenty of potential during his high school days, being named to three-straight All-State and All-Area teams starting in his sophomore year. He was a premier scorer in that time, averaging 20.1 points in his junior year and 16.4 in his senior campaign.
He brings good size to the Buffs as well, standing 6-foot-5. He displayed good rebounding ability in his high school days as well, averaging just under five per game in his final two seasons.
Unlike Crawford, Anderson has seen some play time this season. Early in the year, Anderson got into four games, tallying two points, three rebounds and an assist in 14 minutes on the court. If he can get back healthy for the Buffs in 2025 and beyond, he can mature into a major contributor for them on offense and in the rebounding department.
With five more incoming freshmen in 2025, Colorado has laid a solid foundation for its men’s basketball program moving forward. Despite the down year, this group suggests that there may be better days awaiting Buffs fans in the not-so-distant future. Retaining these players in the offseason will be key to this success, however, as in the day and age of the transfer portal and name, image and likeness (N.I.L.), certainty is hard to come by when looking at a team down the road.
Cover photo by Remi Krupinski/Sko Buffs Sports