Colorado men’s basketball freshman Sebastian Rancik looking to fill mold of Tristan da Silva

Sebastian Rancik is looking to fill the mold of Tristan da Silva

With his true freshman season on deck, Colorado men’s basketball forward Sebastian Rancik is looking to fill the mold of former Buff and recent NBA draft pick Tristan da Silva.

Rancik, a 6-foot-9, 210-pound rookie who grew up overseas, spoke with Buffaloes Wire on Monday about his expected role in Boulder.

“I chose Colorado because of the fit,” Rancik said. “They recruited me to come into a Tristan da Silva mold. They see me as a player that can develop to his archetype and have the same impact. That’s where I see myself as a player, a versatile player that can play anywhere on the court, that can play inside, can play outside, can play with the ball, can play without the ball, can shoot.”

Da Silva finished his four-year career in Boulder with 1,456 points before heading to the Orlando Magic in the first round of the 2024 NBA draft.

Rancik is one of three true freshmen brought in by head coach Tad Boyle and his staff, joining guards Felix Kossaras (Montreal, Que) and Andrew Crawford (Littleton, Colo.)

“His ceiling is, his talent is unquestionable,” Boyle said of Rancik.

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CU men’s basketball: Three future Buffs nominated to 2024 McDonald’s All American Game

Three CU men’s basketball signees were nominated to the McDonald’s All American Game

Minus a few recent losses, the Colorado men’s basketball team has performed well in the 2023-2024 season and has the potential to make the NCAA Tournament.

The future looks bright for head coach Tad Boyle’s program, and a few class of 2024 signees were nominated to the McDonald’s All American Game: combo guard Andrew Crawford, power forward Sebastian (Sebi) Rancik and center Doryan Onwuchekwa.

With Cody Williams and Tristan da Silva likely going to the 2024 NBA draft, those three represent some needed talent for next year’s Buffs team.

The McDonald’s All American Game features some of the best high school players in the country, so the Buffs having three players nominated is quite an accomplishment and should help attract more players to Boulder going forward.

On the women’s side, Colorado had two players nominated: Grace Oliver and Tabitha Betson.

Rosters for the McDonald’s All American Games will be announced on Jan. 23, with both games (boys and girls) set for April 2.

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CU Buffs men’s basketball gets commitment from four-star Slovakian native Sebastian Rancik

Slovakian native Sebastian Rancik gave his commitment to Colorado

Not to be outdone by Colorado football and its “prime” commitments, men’s basketball head coach Tad Boyle and his staff are working hard to keep talent coming into their program. Slovakian big man Sebastian Rancik represents the newest addition to the program.

The four-star recruit gave his commitment to Colorado on Saturday, per Joe Tipton of On3.

Rancik is a 6-foot-9, 210-pound power forward in the 2024 class who will soon play his senior season at J Serra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano, California. He also has experience playing on the international stage, as he has suited up for the Slovakian U18 national team.

Looking at his highlights, Rancik’s defensive ability stands out. Rancik is a natural shot-blocker who can meet players at the rim, whether he’s defending them or playing off-ball. On offense, like most European big men, Rancik shows great touch around the rim and he’s also able to extend his shot out to the 3-point line.

Rancik is Colorado’s third 2024 commit, joining combo guard Andrew Crawford and big man Doryan Onwuchekwa.

Check out some of his highlights below:

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