Buffs freshman projects to be first college player taken in NBA Draft

One of the most talented players in the history of Colorado Buffaloes Men’s Basketball is on campus right now, and the hype around Cody Williams keeps building. Sadly for Tad Boyle’s Buffs, Cody Williams hasn’t been on the floor lately as he recovers from a wrist injury but ESPN reported on Tuesday that he may be back this week. CU will take on Arizona and Arizona State on the road this weekend.

In the same ESPN story, they projected Williams as the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. The freshman forward at CU is likely to be the first one-and-done player of the Boyle era. He came to Boulder as the top hoops recruit in the country, according to some. And may leave campus a year later as at least a top-three pick in the NBA Draft. Last month, The Athletic, ranked him in their top five—now ESPN is upping the stakes

NBA Draft expert Jeremy Woo writes:

Cody offers intrigue with his mix of size, length, passing instincts and defensive acumen, presenting intriguing upside for him to grow on both ends. His body hasn’t filled out yet and he’s still raw in some areas, without a polished scoring arsenal and consistent jump shot. While more of a playmaker than a go-to guy, when Williams plays assertively, you can see the blueprint for what he might become. There are still some important developmental unknowns — he’ll need some time, particularly if tasked with handling the ball — but his point-forward mold is certainly interesting to ponder at the top of this draft class.

After a slow first game and missing the second with a small injury, Williams exploded for the Buffs in the next six contests. He’s scored 21 points in each of the last two games and did so all in the second half against Colorado State. Williams is playing third fiddle to upperclassmen KJ Simpson and Tristan da Silva and is using his 6-8 frame to stuff the stat sheet. The forward is adding nearly four rebounds, two assists and a steal a game while connecting on six of his 10 threes thus far. Funny enough, Williams isn’t even Colorado’s top performer as Simpson is making noise as a posisble Player of the Year candidate. The point guard carried the Buffaloes to two Pac-12 wins over the weekend with both Williams and da Silva sidelined.

Cody is the younger brother of Jalen Williams, who was one of the best rookies in the NBA last season, earning All-Rookie team honors from the NBA. The younger Williams was a member of the 2023 Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Boys All-America Team and a McDonalds All-American who featured for Team USA this summer. As a five-star recruit, he led Arizona’s No. 1 ranked team to a 30-1 and a state championship in the state’s open division.

Williams is Colorado’s first five-star recruit since David Harrison and the highest-rated recruit in program history. If taken at No. 3 he would tie Chauncey Billups’ 1997 selection for the highest-drafted player in school history. Scott Wedman went six and Cliff Meely was taken seven, both in the 1970s.

Right now, Williams is behind Alexandre Sarr from the Perth Wildcats, and France’s Zaccharie Risacher on the ESPN big board, making the Buffaloes forward the highest projected player to get selected from college. It is key to point out that given how early it still is in this cycle there will be a lot of movement and unlike last year’s Victor Wembanyama’s sweepstakes there’s not a clear No. 1 pick, let alone maybe not a single projected superstar atop the draft.

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