Beloved Buffalo returns to Boulder as an assistant coach

A Colorado Buffaloes basketball star so loved by the Boulder faithful to earn the title of  The Mayor has only occurred twice—longtime NBA guard Spencer Dinwiddie and the always-smiling big man Evan Battey.

Battey is back in Boulder, re-joining Tad Boyle this time as an assistant coach/quality control analyst after two years of playing pro hoops overseas.

Evan Battey after tonight’s season-opening win: “I love you, do you know that?” pic.twitter.com/F1zxbIhQ3f

— Jake Shapiro (@Shapalicious) November 10, 2021

“There’s no better Buff in my mind from head to toe than Evan Battey,” Boyle said in a news release. “He loves the University of Colorado. He loves what it did for him and he’s a kid that wants to just give back and being a coach is the best way to do that. He’s going to bring a lot of knowledge about playing college basketball and representing the University of Colorado. He will have the ability to impart the wisdom that he’s learned through his years as a player both at CU and as a professional. He’s helped impart that on the players in our program and he’s going to be able to sell our program.”

Battey is again in black and gold after playing for the Lugano Tigers in Switzerland this season where he averaged 19.1 points 8.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists over 26 games. He spent his first pro season with Rilski Sportist in Bulgaria.

In Boulder, Battey was a star of the Boyle era. As a member of the team from 2017-22, he redshirted year one due to a stroke which he recovered from for 88 wins over the next four years, the most for a player in program history. He never missed a game, playing 133 with 108 of them being starts and helped the Buffs to the 2021 NCAA Tournament and a should’ve been bid in 2020 that COVID-19 wiped out.

“It’s so surreal,” Battey said in a news release. “Having the experience of playing here and the experience of forming relationships with the coaches, staff and community and then to be welcomed back with such open arms…it’s been great.”

Battey is one of 12 Buffaloes to record at least 1,300 points and 600 rebounds. He finished his career ranking fourth in games played, eighth in starts, 15th in minutes (3,313) and 18th in points (1,307) and rebounds (667). Throughout his career, he averaged 9.8 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 50.2 percent overall from the field and 74.8 percent from the free throw line. His career finished with an All-Pac-12 Conference Second Team honor as a senior.

“I’ll bring the energy, the emotion, the experience,” Battey said. “Just coming from a place that I can relate to the players we have now, in being a former player. I know what they’re going through, and I can add insight and perspective. A lot of communication with the guys. I just want to make sure these guys have the best experience they can have in college basketball.”

In recent years the NCAA has expanded the amount of coaches allowed in college hoops. Boyle already added his old college pal Danny Manning to the Buffs staff this offseason. Battey will be on court to coach and on the road to recruit.

he's baaaaack 🦬@EBduece1 is returning to Boulder as an assistant coach #GoBuffs pic.twitter.com/jOiHi5T9Bg

— Colorado Men's Basketball (@CUBuffsMBB) July 8, 2024