Buffaloes Sophomore Josiah Sanders Speaks Openly on Mentorship Role

Colorado Buffaloes guard Josiah Sanders is a key piece of the Buffs’ returning trio from the 2025 freshman class, which has forced him to take on a mature role early in his career. He’s been looked to as a leader by both coaches and Colorado’s incoming freshman class during summer workouts.

In an interview on Tuesday, Sanders revealed what he’s been trying to instill in the freshman class. In addition, he revealed some of the negative mindsets that contributed to his struggles as a freshman and how he’s trying to help Colorado’s newcomers avoid them.

Josiah Sanders’ Goal for the Colorado Buffaloes’ Freshman Class

colorado buffaloes forward josiah sanders cu buffs men's basketball 2026 freshman class leadership advice tad boyle big 12 sg — Jan 3, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffaloes guard Josiah Sanders (5) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Sanders has been putting work in during the offseason to help Colorado’s freshman class adapt to its new scenery. As a former member of a large freshman class with little veteran leadership himself, Sanders understands how crucial it would’ve been for him to be comfortable upon arrival. Now, a year removed from that arrival, he’s aiming to create comfortability for his freshman teammates as they make the transition to college basketball.

“I think the biggest thing is just trying to make everybody feel comfortable,” Sanders said. “We can all hoop; you wouldn’t be here if you couldn’t hoop, so just making sure everybody isn’t too worried about making a mistake.”

The hesitancy that Sanders mentioned was one of several things that he believes held him back in 2025, and that he’s now trying to prevent the 2026 class from dealing with in their own right.

What Josiah Sanders Struggled With as a Freshman

To do so, Sanders has been pulling from that experience rather than dwelling on it, poising the incoming players for success early in their careers.

“I think that was one thing that even I was worried about last year,” Sanders said. “I would be like, ‘I don’t want to mess up,’ or ‘I don’t want to miss this shot,’ and it’s like a spiral. If you’re worried about those things, it’s just going to go downhill from there. So, just trying to make sure everyone is comfortable: if you miss a shot, just shoot the next one. If you get blown by, we’ve got your help next time; you’re good, just keep playing.”

The Importance of Josiah Sanders’ Mindset in Summer Workouts

But a sentiment that has been shared in the Buffaloes’ locker room during the summer is that the necessary preparation to step up in those moments isn’t something that can be done during the season. Colorado’s players have emphasized the importance of their current stage of the season, and Sanders shared similar feelings in relation to the growth of the Buffs’ new players.

“Especially in the summer,” Sanders said. “We don’t have a lot of the concepts in yet that we will in the season, so just trying to play with the most energy that we can is going to make up for a lot of the mistakes.”

The mindset of composure and comfortability that he has shared with the freshman group will be especially important at this time. Even though the Buffaloes aren’t competing in front of large crowds, it is important that the young players are confident in their environment in order to focus exclusively on improving ahead of the season. The only way they’ll be able to step up in front of those crowds come November is by building preparation for it in the coming months.

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