Biggest Offseason Priority for Colorado Basketball, Tad Boyle

The freshman class Colorado Buffaloes basketball coach Tad Boyle and his staff brought in during 2025 exceeded expectations.

Feb 25, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Tad Boyle calls out from the bench in the first half against the Kansas State Wildcats at the CU Events Center. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball team saw contribution from six freshmen in 2025, primarily in their backcourt. The likes of Josiah Sanders, Jalin Holland and Ian Inman all contributed to that unit, and Isaiah Johnson broke out as one of the best freshmen in the Big 12.

Retaining young talent like Johnson will likely require Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) discussions now that players can enter the transfer portal in pursuit of a better NIL deal.

Feb 21, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes guard Isaiah Johnson (2) reacts to a score in the second half against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at the CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Johnson averaged 16.9 points per game on 48.6 percent shooting. He broke Alec Burks’s CU freshman scoring record and was named an All-Big 12 honorable mention. Additionally, he was named co-team MVP for the Buffs alongside fellow guard Barrington Hargress.

“It means a lot,” said Johnson after breaking Burks's record. “That’s not easy to come by, being able to break that record. I’m just thankful for my coaches and my teammates for being able to put me in that position.”

In the frontcourt, the Buffaloes saw production from forward Alon Michaeli and center Fawaz ‘Tacko’ Ifaola. Michaeli was Colorado’s fifth-leading scorer, and Ifaola was a solid rebounder in limited minutes.

Roster Retention is Colorado's Biggest Key

Kansas State interim head coach Matthew Driscoll has a message for the #CUBuffs:

“By the way, you Colorado people, I was in this league before, and you guys ought to be really proud of what you guys have in front of you. And if you guys take advantage of it, and you guys pony up… pic.twitter.com/dMVQnRG5in

— Oliver Hayes (@ocuhayes) February 26, 2026

Boyle has built a strong reputation for retaining big-name players in the era of NIL and the transfer portal. It has been a large reason for him keeping his job and building successful teams without dipping into the portal much himself. 

The 2026 offseason will be the ultimate test of Boyle’s abilities in player retention, as his 2025 recruiting class is no longer a well-kept secret.

Teams from across the country will inevitably come knocking down the doors of CU’s best young talent, and they will have deep NIL collectives at their disposal.

Money Talks

Jan 29, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Tad Boyle talks with Colorado Buffaloes guard Josiah Sanders (5) coming off the court in their game with the Iowa State Cyclones during the second half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

That creates a responsibility for new CU athletic director Fernando Lovo and his staff to put forth funding of their own into the basketball program. 

Boyle’s player retention skills are rooted in culture, and while the culture he’s created in Boulder is strong, it can only do so much. When teams from the SEC, Big Ten, or even other Big 12 teams that focus heavily on funding and building their basketball programs come calling to CU’s talented core, the figures they offer can ease the pain of leaving a great culture.

This reality leaves the Buffaloes with two choices: invest in NIL for the basketball program, or watch them play for opposing schools.

Where Should The Funding Go?

Jan 10, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes athletic director Fernando Lovo during the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

If Lovo and company decide to increase funding to the basketball team, there are a few avenues it needs to be funneled down. 

While player retention is priority No. 1 in a more general sense, Johnson needs to be at the top of the list.

The history that Boyle’s teams have had in guard development during his tenure is among the best in the country during that span. The likes of Burks, Spencer Dinwiddie, Derrick White and KJ Simpson are just a few examples of backcourt success stories produced under the Boyle regime.

Despite all of their success, though, none of them had as successful a start to their careers in the black and gold as Johnson. By breaking Burks’ record, he cemented himself as the best offensive freshman the program has ever seen. 

If the Buffs can bring Johnson back in a Big 12 conference that is expected to lose a high number of talented players to the NBA Draft this offseason, the sky is the limit for the program over the next several seasons.

After securing Johnson, the Buffs should aim to lock down the majority of the productive freshmen class, along with experienced stars like Hargress, Bangot Dak and Sebastian Rancik.

The development this team would see just from continuing to grow as a unit for another full season would already produce tremendous improvements in Big 12 and NCAA Tournament contention.

The next step would be making at least one sizeable splash in the transfer portal. Said splash should come by way of a star center, something the Buffaloes have been searching for over the last two seasons. 

While Ifaola still has plenty of potential to develop into that role, he’s still a very raw prospect and a work in progress. His skills will almost certainly not be fully refined by next season, so if the Buffs hope to make a Big 12 title push, they’ll need an established big man. 

If Colorado can find not only production but veteran leadership from a paint anchorman in the portal, most, if not all, of its flaws seen in 2025 would be addressed.

It All Leads to Fernando Lovo

Feb 1, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes Director of Athletics Fernando Lovo during the second half against the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs at the CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

All that said, Lovo and his staff have some important decisions to make on what to do with the athletic budget as it pertains to basketball.

Something they will have to take into account is the financial deficit their department faces. CU athletics is ‘projecting’ a $27 million revenue deficit by the end of the 2026 fiscal year, according to USA Today.

But basketball is something Lovo has taken very seriously in his career to this point. Under his tutelage, the New Mexico Lobos broke a decade-long NCAA Tournament drought, appearing in the Big Dance in back-to-back seasons from 2024 to 2025. Their second appearance saw them advance to the Round of 32 with a win over seventh-seeded Marquette.

So, if Lovo’s track record is any sign of the future, a CU push to the top may lie just over the not-so-distant horizon.

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