Tag: Tristan da Silva

Former Colorado standout selected for NBA Rising Stars event

Tristan da Silva was alluded to as a top 10 rookie in the NBA this season with his Rising Stars honor

Former Colorado men’s basketball forward Tristan da Silva has been selected to the 2025 NBA Castrol Rising Stars player pool as a rookie with the Orlando Magic.

After being selected No. 18 overall by Orlando in last year’s draft, da Silva is averaging 8.8 points and 4.2 rebounds in 44 games this season. The 6-foot-8 German was nudged into the spotlight after fellow Magic forwards Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner went down with injuries, logging 34 starts to help the Magic stay afloat in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

During his four seasons with the Buffaloes from 2020-24, da Silva became a program pillar, averaging 16 points, five rebounds and two assists per game while helping Colorado reach the NCAA Tournament last year. Fellow former Buffs Cody Williams (Utah Jazz) and KJ Simpson (Charlotte Hornets) have also seen NBA minutes this season as rookies.

The Rising Stars player pool consists of 10 rookies, 11 second-year players and seven NBA G League players. Da Silva will be drafted onto one of three seven-player teams, with the G Leaguers making up the fourth squad. A tournament will take place on Feb. 14 among the four teams, and the winner will advance to play in the inaugural NBA All-Star Game tournament.

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Former Buffs forward Tristan da Silva erupts in Magic’s win over Nets

Tristan da Silva is making some noise as an Orlando Magic rookie

Former Colorado men’s basketball forward Tristan da Silva enjoyed the best game of his young NBA career on Sunday in the Orlando Magic’s 102-101 win over the Brooklyn Nets.

Playing in his 30th NBA game, the rookie da Silva scored a career-high 21 points on 8-of-16 shooting. He also dished out a career-best seven assists and had six rebounds.

Sunday marked da Silva’s fifth double-digit scoring game since Dec. 15. The Munich, Germany native dropped 20 against the New York Knicks and scored 18 in wins over the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat.

Da Silva played four seasons at Colorado before going 18th overall to the Magic in the 2024 NBA draft.

Orlando, led by fellow former CU men’s basketball forward Jamahl Mosley, is trending toward its second straight postseason appearance. The 20-14 Magic sit fourth in the Eastern Conference standings.

Da Silva and the Magic will next face the Detroit Pistons on New Year’s Day.

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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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Rockets’ Reed Sheppard selected to win Rookie of the Year by executives in ESPN poll

Rockets guard Reed Sheppard was voted the top choice to win Rookie of the Year by executives and scouts in a poll conducted by ESPN.

Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard was voted the top choice to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award by a panel of executives and scouts in a poll conducted by ESPN.

The 20 individuals polled were asked a number of questions about the incoming rookie class, such as the best player and the biggest steal of the draft. They were also asked about the draft expanding to a two-day format, which received a positive reaction.

Sheppard received seven votes from the panel, while Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey garnered four votes and San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle had three votes.

Who’s your NBA Rookie of the Year pick?

  1. Reed Sheppard, Rockets: 7 votes
  2. Zach Edey, Grizzlies: 4
  3. Stephon Castle, Spurs: 3
  4. Donovan Clingan, Trail Blazers: 2
  5. Zaccharie Risacher, Hawks: 1
  6. Ron Holland II, Pistons: 1
  7. Dalton Knecht, Lakers: 1
  8. Tristan da Silva, Orlando Magic: 1

Sheppard debuted with the Rockets in the NBA Summer League, averaging 20 points, 5.3 assists, 4.8 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 1.3 blocked shots on 50% shooting from the field in four games. He was named to the NBA All-Summer League first team and finished ninth in scoring.

The third pick is second in odds to win Rookie of the Year, narrowly trailing only Risacher. He looked to be one of the top rookies on the court in the desert and proved himself as a high draft pick in a small sample size with the Rockets.

The odds will certainly continue to fluctuate over the course of the upcoming season, which tips off on Oct. 25. However, Sheppard and the rest of the players on the list established themselves as the top players thus far and should be in store for strong rookie campaigns.

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Cody Williams, Tristan da Silva impressing many in NBA 2K25 summer league

Colorado’s two first-round selections are impressing many in the NBA 2K25 summer league

In their first few games of the NBA 2K25 summer league, former Colorado Buffaloes Cody Williams and Tristan da Silva have proven their worth as first-round draft picks.

Da Silva’s Orlando Magic set the tone early, securing the league’s first game with a 106-79 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 6-foot-9 forward posted 13 points in his first NBA action, highlighted by three 3-point makes and an all-around strong performance. Two days later, da Silva knocked down three more deep balls en route to 23 points in a win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

His efficiency, offensive read-making and two-way prowess shined in the two victories.

Williams, on the other hand, already had two games under his belt in the Salt Lake City Summer League. He struggled in front of his new home crowd early, but the lottery pick bounced back when he got to Vegas. In his first game there, Williams posted a game-high 21 points, hit three 3-pointers and slammed down a left-handed posterizing dunk while leading Utah to a one-point win over the Dallas Mavericks.

He couldn’t will his team to success in Utah’s next game against the Sacramento Kings, but scored an efficient 14 points.

Da Silva will try to continue his role as a smart catch-and-shoot forward this summer with a budding Orlando squad. Williams, with great potential on a poor team, will have different goals in mind as he and the Jazz wish to find stardom.

Both former Buffs will play again on Wednesday with Williams’ Jazz taking on the Toronto Raptors at 3 p.m. MT (ESPN2) and da Silva’s Magic facing the Memphis Grizzlies at 5 p.m. MT (ESPN+/ESPN3).

KJ Simpson, the No. 42 overall pick of the Charlotte Hornets, is missing the entire summer league due to a hamstring injury.

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Tristan da Silva has strong all-around performance in NBA summer league debut

Tristan da Silva impressed during his first NBA summer league game

After four years of efficient all-around play with the Colorado Buffaloes men’s basketball program, the Orlando Magic enjoyed such play from Tristan da Silva in his NBA 2K25 Summer League debut Friday afternoon.

Orlando, which bested the reigning summer league champion Cleveland Cavaliers, saw a great showing from its summer league roster. Da Silva, the Magic’s recent first-round selection, fit right in with the starting five, posting 13 points, five rebounds, four assists and one steal in the 106-79 win.

Da Silva’s day was highlighted by strong shooting and efficiency. He went 50% from the field and knocked down three of his five 3-point attempts. The 6-foot-9 forward played well on both ends of the floor, something he did well during his days at Colorado under head coach Tad Boyle.

Da Silva and the Magic play the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. MT on NBA TV.

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Tristan da Silva scores 13 points, helps Magic win in summer league debut

Tristan da Silva scored in double figures to help the Magic defeat the Cavaliers on Friday in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Tristan da Silva scored in double figures to help the Orlando Magic defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Da Silva produced 13 points, five rebounds, four assists and one steal in the 106-79 victory at the Pavilion. He finished by shooting 3-of-5 from 3-point range and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line in 23 minutes of action in his debut.

The 18th pick was decisive in his first minutes with the Magic and looked to shoot the ball with confidence. He also had some nice defensive sequences against the Cavaliers and finished plus-31 on the court, tied for the second-best mark on the team.

Da Silva was highly touted entering the NBA draft for his ability to score on offense and defend on the other end of the floor. The Magic were also enamored with his positional size, basketball IQ and character off of the court.

Performances in summer league are often taken with a grain of salt but da Silva showed that he belonged on the court. He should have the opportunity to compete for rotation minutes and provide the Magic with some much-needed floor spacing and defense.

The Magic and da Silva return to action on Sunday against the New Orleans Pelicans in the second of at least five games in the desert. He will look to build upon a solid debut performance and help the Magic alongside roster players Anthony Black and Jett Howard.

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Colorado’s three NBA draft picks officially sign rookie contracts

All three of the new NBA Buffs have signed their rookie contracts

All three former Colorado Buffaloes men’s basketball players selected in the 2024 NBA draft have officially signed their rookie deals.

Cody Williams, the highest draft selection of the three at No. 10 overall, was the first to agree to terms with his new team, the Utah Jazz. Tristan da Silva, selected with the No. 18 pick by the Orlando Magic, and KJ Simpson, the No. 42 pick of the Charlotte Hornets, have inked their contracts since then. Simpson signed a two-way deal, meaning he’ll spend time with the Hornets’ G League affiliate Greensboro Swarm.

Contract details have yet to be announced, per each team’s policy. However, sports contract database Spotrac says Williams and da Silva signed four-year contracts. Williams’ deal is potentially worth $24.9 million total and da Silva’s could be $17.6 million.

Two of the Buffs’ top three scorers from last season will see their first NBA action in the summer league while Simpson recovers from a pre-draft hamstring injury. Williams and the Utah Jazz play Monday (July 8) at 7 p.m. MT (ESPN) while da Silva and the Orlando Magic open on Friday at 2 p.m. MT (NBA TV).

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Magic sign 18th pick Tristan da Silva to rookie-scale contract

Former Colorado forward Tristan da Silva, the 18th pick in the draft, signed his rookie-scale contract with the Magic on Saturday.

Former Colorado forward Tristan da Silva, the 18th pick in the 2024 NBA draft, signed his rookie-scale contract with the Orlando Magic on Saturday, the team announced.

He will make $3,023,700 next season as the 18th pick.

Da Silva was named to the All-Pac-12 second team after averaging a career-high 16 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.1 steals on 39.5% shooting from 3-point range as a senior. He registered nine 20-point games, including a season-high 27 points and 11 rebounds on March 3.

The 6-foot-9 forward helped the Buffaloes advance to the round of 32 as a play-in team. He averaged 18 points, four rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 steals on 56.3% shooting from beyond the arc (9-of-16) in three games in the NCAA Tournament.

Da Silva, who was born in Germany, established himself as a first-round pick with his shotmaking, ability to drive and finish and move the ball. He is a good cutter and constantly moves on offense to find open space and has shown some promise as a defender.

The 23-year-old will suit up with the Magic in the NBA Summer League beginning on July 12 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team will play at least five games, starting with the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Pavilion (4 p.m. EDT, NBA TV).

Joining da Silva in summer league will be roster players Anthony Black and Jett Howard, along with free agents Jarrett Culver, Théo Maledon, Xavier Moon and Jared Rhoden, among others.

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A photographic look at Tristan da Silva and Cody Williams’ NBA draft night

It was a special night

Last week, head coach Tad Boyle watched three players from last season’s Colorado men’s basketball team hear their names called at the 2024 NBA draft in Brooklyn.

Forwards Cody Williams and Tristan da Silva went to the Utah Jazz and Orlando Magic, respectively, and guard KJ Simpson landed with the Charlotte Hornets in the second round. The Kentucky Wildcats (three) and two-time defending national champion UConn Huskies (four) were the only other college programs that produced at least three NBA draft picks.

As Colorado’s former stars transition to the NBA, check out the best pictures from da Silva and Williams’ draft night: