Sports

4 basketball players in Colorado make CBS Sports list of nation's best men's college hoopers

October 26, 2023 / 12:34 PM MDT / AP

Expectations high for Colorado Buffaloes men's and women's basketball teams this year

Four men's college basketball players from colleges in the Centennial State are representing Colorado in new list of the best players in the nation. CBS Sports published a list of the "The top 100 and 1 best players entering the 2023-24 season" on Thursday and three CU players and one CSU player are among the rankings.

Tristan da Silva of the Colorado Buffaloes is fouled by David Singleton #34 of the UCLA Bruins in the first half of a quarterfinal game of the Pac-12 basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on March 9 in Las Vegas. Ethan Miller / Getty Images

Preseason All-Pac-12 player Tristan da Silva is the first Colorado player to appear in the rankings. The Buffaloes forward is ranked No. 37 on the list. The senior is the undisputed leader of the Buffaloes.

"Tristan is the guy everybody looks to. He's going to be critical to this team this year," said CU Coach Tad Boyle said.

Da Silva averaged 15.9 points and 4.8 rebounds last season.

"The 6-9 forward enters his fourth year of college ranked 45th on Colorado's all-time scoring list. He's made 37.9% of the 227 3-pointers he's attempted since enrolling in Boulder," wrote Gary Parrish of CBS Sports.

Isaiah Stevens of the Colorado State Rams is the next Colorado player on the list. The Preseason Player of the Year in the Mountain West is listed at 46.

Isaiah Stevens of the Colorado State Rams dives for the ball at the Thomas & Mack Center on March 11, 2022, in Las Vegas. David Becker / Getty Images

CBS Sports writer Cameron Salerno writes that he "is coming off the best statistical season of his career."

"Stevens scored in double-figures in all 26 games he started during the 2022-23 season, but his passing remains his most impressive trait. He averaged 6.7 assists, which ranked No. 4 in the country."

McDonald's All-American Cody Williams may be one of the most celebrated basketball recruits to step onto CU's campus since the days of Chauncey Billups. He is ranked at No. 91 on the CBS Sports list.

"The younger brother of Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams ranked as the No. 4 overall player in the 2023 recruiting class and was the highest-ranked commitment in Colorado program history in the 247Sports era. Williams should be a valuable slasher and defender for coach Tad Boyle," Salerno wrote of the 6-foot-8 forward.

Williams is already on the radar of NBA scouts. He earned a spot on Team USA for the FIBA U19 World Cup Championships over the summer in Hungary. His coach was Boyle, which allowed them to develop a bond before the season.

Guard KJ Simpson also was a Preseason All-Pac-12 player and is the last player featured on the CBS Sports list.

"The Buffaloes have a chance to make some serious noise in the Pac-12 this season and Simpson is going to be a major reason why. Simpson is one of the returning scorers in the conference (15.9 points) and if he improves his shooting percentage from deep, he will have a chance to be considered one of the best guards in the country," Salerno writes.

The No. 1 player on the list is Zach Edey, who plays for the Purdue Boilermakers.

Jesse Sarles

Jesse Sarles manages the web content and website operations for CBS Colorado. He writes articles about Colorado news and sports in and around the Denver area.