Category: Buffs in NBA

Former Buff Alec Burks provides veteran spark in New York Knicks’ playoff run

Former Buff Alec Burks was a bright spot for the Knicks in their second-round playoff series

Former Colorado men’s basketball star Alec Burks took on a veteran presence in his 13th NBA season, providing a scoring spark off the bench in the New York Knicks’ seven-game playoff showdown with the Indiana Pacers.

The Knicks ultimately lost the second-round series to the rival Pacers, with injuries plaguing New York as it tried to keep up with Indiana’s explosive offense. Burks missed the entirety of the first round against the Philadelphia 76ers due to a sprained right shoulder, yet quickly received crucial minutes against the Pacers.

Burks returned in Game 2 of the series against the Pacers but only played 44 seconds. In the final five games, however, he averaged 17.8 points on 51% shooting from the field off the bench. He led the Knicks in scoring with 20 points in their Game 4 loss and added 26 points in their Game 7 loss, one point shy of his playoff career-high he set against the Atlanta Hawks in 2021.

The 32-year-old guard was not one to back down in the postseason for the Buffs, averaging 24.7 points per game across the Big 12 Conference Tournament and the National Invitation Tournament during his sophomore year.

With New York’s season complete, Burks is now an unrestricted free agent. He averaged 10.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists this past season, beginning the year with the Detroit Pistons before a trade reunited him with the Knicks.

The Pacers advanced to the Eastern Conference finals to face Derrick White, the last former Buff in the playoffs, and his top-seeded Boston Celtics.

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Chauncey Billups to become first NBA Buff in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, per report

One of the greatest Buffs ever is reportedly headed to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Colorado great Chauncey Billups has been elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame’s 2024 class, making him the first Buff who played in the NBA to achieve the honor.

Fellow NBA great Vince Carter joins Billups in the class, although the official announcement will be made Saturday at the NCAA Tournament Final Four.

Now head coach of the Portland Trailblazers, Billups put together a stellar NBA resume. In his 17-year professional career, Billups played for seven teams, most notably winning the 2004 NBA Finals — and Finals MVP — with the Detroit Pistons. Billups also earned five all-star selections, two of which came during his time with the Denver Nuggets.

Born in Denver, Billups was a high school star at George Washington before committing to CU. He played two seasons with the Buffs, earning second-team All-American honors as a sophomore while leading Colorado to its first March Madness appearance in 28 years. Coincidentally, Carter’s North Carolina Tarheels beat the Buffs in the round of 32.

The late Burdette Halderson, who played at CU in the 1950s, is also in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic team.

 

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ESPN’s latest mock draft has Cody Williams headed to Chauncey Billups’ Blazers

ESPN is projecting Cody Williams to join Chauncey Billups and Jabari Walker in Portland

Due to injuries, Cody Williams’ freshman season on the Colorado men’s basketball team has been up and down. The former five-star recruit has flashed greatness in multiple big games but health issues have prevented him from displaying his elite abilities consistently.

Regardless, Williams will likely enter his name into the 2024 NBA draft and could be selected early in the first round. ESPN released its latest mock draft on Tuesday (subscription required) and Williams went fifth overall to the Portland Trail Blazers.

If ESPN’s projection lands, Williams would likely play for CU Buffs great Chauncey Billups, who’s currently navigating his third season as the Blazers’ head coach. Fellow former Buff Jabari Walker is also in Portland and averaging 8.3 points in his second NBA season.

Williams, the younger brother of Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams, is averaging 14.2 points on 52.9% shooting in what could be his only collegiate season.

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Buffs in the NBA: Chauncey Billups gives Jabari Walker game ball following career-high game

Jabari Walker had the best scoring game of his young NBA career on Friday night

Former Colorado men’s basketball star Jabari Walker is currently in his second season in the NBA, and he has earned more and more minutes this year for a young Portland Trail Blazers team.

On Friday night against the San Antonio Spurs, Walker shined bright with the best scoring game of his young career. Walker scored a career-high 25 points to go with nine rebounds in just under 30 minutes off the bench. The Blazers also got the 134-128 victory.

After the game, Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, another all-time great Buff, gave the game ball to Walker in a special moment.

On the year, Walker is averaging 8.1 points per game with 5.4 rebounds and has seen his minutes increase recently. Three days before scoring 25, he finished with 17 on Tuesday against the Sacramento Kings.

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Derrick White having All-Star level season for Celtics

Former Colorado guard Derrick White is deserving of an All-Star selection

The Boston Celtics added Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis over the offseason and have been widely discussed as the favorites in the NBA’s Eastern Conference.

However, former Colorado men’s basketball guard Derrick White has emerged as an All-Star candidate for the Celtics. On the season, he is averaging 16.6 points per game with 5.2 assists and has been a key contributor for Boston.

White’s December has been terrific. He scored 30 against the Golden State Warriors on Dec. 19 and then dropped 28 on the Sacramento Kings one day later. The 29-year-old also had 18 points, 11 assists, two blocks and two steals on Christmas Day against the Los Angeles Lakers.

It’s safe to say White has blossomed into a legitimate star this year for the Celtics alongside Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Holiday and Porzingis.

He has received plenty of All-Star buzz, including an endorsement from JJ Redick.

 

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Two CU Buffs featured in ESPN’s latest 2024 NBA mock draft

Two CU Buffs were selected in ESPN’s latest 2024 NBA mock draft

It’s looking likely that two Colorado men’s basketball stars will be selected in the 2024 NBA draft.

In ESPN’s latest mock (subscription required), freshman Cody Williams went No. 12 overall to the Indiana Pacers while senior Tristan da Silva was picked No. 36 by the Boston Celtics. Colorado hasn’t had more than one player selected in a single NBA draft since 1981.

Williams, a five-star recruit from Arizona, has done nothing but raise his draft stock through six games played with the Buffs. The 6-foot-8 forward is currently shooting 60.4% from the field with averages of 12.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.

Da Silva, meanwhile, is still looking to find some consistency this year. He owns three games of at least 15 points but struggled in losses to Florida State and Colorado State.

If he can continue his strong start to the season, I’d also expect KJ Simpson to start showing up on mock drafts soon.

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Jabari Walker amasses double-double in Blazers’ Summer League opener

Jabari Walker was a quiet star in the NBA Summer League on Friday

While the basketball world had its focus on Victor Wembanyama’s impending debut, Jabari Walker was a more quiet NBA Summer League star on Friday.

In the first game of his second season playing in the developmental circuit, Walker recorded a double-double with 10 rebounds and 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including two made 3-pointers. The former Colorado forward also added three assists and a steal in Portland’s 100-99 loss to Houston, which nailed a miraculous game-winning 3 as the buzzer sounded.

Walker’s Trail Blazers return to action on Sunday against Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs. Tipoff is at 6:00 p.m. MT on ESPN2.

Other former Buffs in the NBA Summer League include Tyler Bey (Milwaukee Bucks) and McKinley Wright IV (Dalla Mavericks). Bey did not appear in the Bucks’ first game on Friday and the Mavs are set to face Oklahoma City on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. MT.

We’ll be providing more coverage on Walker, Bey and Wright as the Summer League continues.

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NBA Summer League to feature three former Buffs

Keep an eye on these three former #cubuffs in the NBA Summer League

Former CU Buffs men’s basketball stars McKinley Wright IV, Tyler Bey and Jabari Walker were all selected by their respective teams to compete in the 2023 NBA Summer League, which will be held from July 7-17 in Las Vegas.

Wright, Colorado’s all-time leader in assists, played in 27 games last season for the Dallas Mavericks and will continue with them for what will be his third NBA Summer League appearance — the previous two coming with Minnesota in 2021 and Phoenix in 2022.

Walker averaged over 12 points in last year’s summer league to help the Portland Trail Blazers win the title. He’s back with the Blazers again this summer following a rookie season in which he scored just under four points per game for head coach Chauncey Billups.

Bey played overseas in 2022-23 for the Ironi Ness Ziona of the Israeli Premier League but returns to the United States for his third NBA Summer League run, this time with the Milwaukee Bucks.

On Friday, Bey’s Bucks open against Denver at 3 p.m. on ESPNU and Walker’s Blazers face Houston at 5 p.m. on ESPN. The Mavericks and Wright play their first game against Oklahoma City on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. MT on ESPN2. (All times MDT.)

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Former Buff, Colorado native Derrick White wins Game 6 for Celtics in wild fashion

Former Buff Derrick White hit the shot of his life to keep the Celtics’ season alive

Former Colorado Buffaloes men’s basketball player Derrick White should be receiving a massive welcome back in Boston. With the Celtics down 3-0, they have crawled back and have now forced an eastern conference finals Game 7 with a 104-103 victory over the Miami Heat on Saturday night.

The Heat had a one-point lead with the clock winding down in the fourth quarter when Boston’s Marcus Smart took a 3-pointer and missed. But that’s when White’s heroics occurred.

The Parker, Colorado native got the offensive rebound and sent up a prayer of a tip-in with about one-tenth of a second left on the clock. It was good, and the Celtics got the 104-103 victory to force a Game 7 on Monday night as they try to become the first team in NBA history to come back from down 3-0.

White finished the game with 11 points on 4-of-10 shooting from the field with six assists, but he hit the biggest shot of his life when it looked like the Celtics’ season was coming to an end.

Game 7 will be on Monday night in Boston and if the Celtics win, White might not need to buy a meal for a long time.

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Colorado basketball fans go crazy for Derrick White’s unreal buzzer-beater

Colorado basketball fans went crazy for Derrick White’s unreal buzzer-beater

The Boston Celtics were down 3-0 to the Miami Heat and one loss away from an eastern conference finals sweep. However, just a week later, the series is all tied at three with Game 7 going back to Boston.

With everything on the line, former Colorado Buffaloes men’s basketball star Derrick White stepped up in a heroic fashion to stun the Heat in Miami and give the Celtics a shot at making NBA history.

White came in clutch with a buzzer-beating putback and the Celtics escaped with a one-point victory. Against all odds, the Celtics are 48 minutes away from being the first team ever to come back from down 3-0.

Here’s how Twitter reacted to the Colorado native’s unreal game-winner: