Buffs Beat

Colorado's KJ Simpson declares for 2024 NBA Draft

Buffs down another man in next year's rotation after losing one of their best contributors
Josh Tolle|
Mar 24, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Colorado Buffaloes guard KJ Simpson (2) shoots against the
Mar 24, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Colorado Buffaloes guard KJ Simpson (2) shoots against the | Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports


Colorado guard KJ Simpson declared for the 2024 NBA Draft, per an announcement Friday via social media. He thanked Buffs Nation and said he has always been a dream to play in the league.

The 6-foot-2 Los Angeles native led the Buffs in scoring with 19.7 points per game and 4.9 assists. Both stats were in the top 60 nationally, which put Simpson in the conversation as one of the Pac-12's best ball handlers. He's currently projected as a mid-second round pick, according to most mock drafts.

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Simpson helped his cause with a strong showing in the NCAA Tournament, averaging 20.7 points, seven rebounds, and 5.3 assists in three games. He had a game-winning jumper to upset 7th-seeded Florida, clinching back-to-back tourney wins for the first time since 1955. The Buffs standout scored at least 20 points in twenty-two games and was held to single-digits twice this season.

Colorado will likely have three players drafted this year. Cody Williams, who hasn't declared for the draft is still slated as a consensus top ten pick. The former McDonald's All-American isn't expected to return to Boulder after an injury-ridden freshman year. Tristan da Silva is projected at a mid-first round pick. The Buffs big man showed flashes of next-level talent throughout the season.

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Josh Tolle
JOSH TOLLE

Josh Tolle is a writer covering college sports for On SI. Outside of storytelling, the multi-talented broadcaster has play-by-play experience at the professional and collegiate levels. In 2018, he began calling games for the National Women’s Soccer League. He has also called games for the United Soccer League, Concacaf, and the U.S. Open Cup. He has called hockey for the Premier Hockey Federation for the past three seasons and was the play-by-play voice for the Superior RoughRiders of the Western Hockey League. He has provided play-by-play for various other sports including football, basketball, baseball and volleyball events. Since 2015, Tolle has been the voice of Colorado School of Mines Athletics having called football, men's and women's basketball and soccer. He previously wrote for SB Nation.

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