Buffs Beat

College Basketball Transfer Portal: Colorado Buffaloes Targets, Potential Departures

The 2025 college basketball transfer portal window opened on Monday, meaning a busy month lies ahead for Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball coach Tad Boyle. Losses are expected, but the Buffs will look for opportunities to bolster their roster via the portal.

Jack Carlough

Mar 11, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes coach Tad Boyle reacts to game play during the first half against the TCU Horned Frogs at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images
Mar 11, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes coach Tad Boyle reacts to game play during the first half against the TCU Horned Frogs at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images / William Purnell-Imagn Images
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Coach Tad Boyle will have his plate full over the next several weeks. Along with preparing for the Colorado Buffaloes' trip to Las Vegas for the College Basketball Crown, he'll be grappling with the madness of the transfer portal.

The 2025 men's college basketball transfer portal window opened on Monday and will last through April 22, forcing many coaches to navigate postseason play and the portal simultaneously. The women's college basketball transfer window opens Tuesday and extends through April 23.

Possible Colorado men's basketball transfer portal losses

Assane Dio
Feb 15, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; UCF Knights center Moustapha Thiam (52) and Colorado Buffaloes forward Assane Diop (35) reach for the ball in the second half at the CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Two Colorado players to watch when it comes to possibly entering the transfer portal are forward Assane Diop and guard Courtney Anderson Jr.

Diop was a consistent rotation piece during the regular season who made a strong impact defensively, but his offensive game showed little development. As Colorado prepares for its April 1 game against Villanova in the CBC, the sophomore is averaging only 3.8 points on 39.8% shooting. A change of scenery or a move to a mid-major Division I program may benefit Diop.

Anderson took a redshirt last season but has played in only four games this season. If history serves, Anderson's inability to crack Colorado's rotation makes him a candidate to enter the portal.

"There's reasons to change and move and leave jobs, and there's reasons to stay," Boyle said. "We got to figure out why did you come here? Why should you stay? Or should you leave? Those are the conversations I'm having with the players right now."

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Boyle should also be concerned about other teams targeting true freshman Sebastian Rancik and sophomore Bangot Dak. Because both excelled on a Colorado team that finished last in the Big 12 Conference, they'll likely draw interest from win-now teams looking for an additional piece.

Biggest needs and an early transfer portal target

With point guard Julian Hammond III graduating, Boyle will have decisions to make regarding his backcourt rotation. Colorado has several young guards in Andrew Crawford, Felix Kossaras, RJ Smith and Anderson, but none appear ready to handle point guard duties next season. Boyle will soon welcome incoming freshmen guards Josiah Sanders, Jalin Holland and Isaiah Johnson to Boulder, but giving point guard duties to a rookie also isn't ideal.

According to On3's Joe Tipton, Colorado is one of several schools that have contacted North Dakota State transfer guard Treysen Eaglestaff, who scored 40 points against Alabama in December. Although Eaglestaff is more of an off-ball guard, he would immediately benefit Colorado's backcourt.

Treysen Eaglestaff
Nov 7, 2023; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; North Dakota Fighting Hawks guard Treysen Eaglestaff (52) dribbles against Iowa Hawkeyes forward Ben Krikke (23) during the first half at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

In the paint, former junior college standout Elijah Malone was recently granted an extra year of eligibility, and Dak could be one of the Big 12's best forwards next season. Still, Boyle will have to replace the lost production of Andrej Jakimovski and Trevor Baskin.

Colorado women's basketball transfer portal update

Looking at the Colorado women's basketball team, coach JR Payne has already lost one player to the transfer portal. BuffZone's Brian Howell reported Sunday that freshman guard Lova Lagerlid will enter the women's college basketball transfer portal when it opens Tuesday. Lagerlid played in only three games at Colorado this past season.

Fresh off a 21-win season, Payne is gearing up for another chaotic transfer portal period.

"Every coach in America is active in the portal, you have to be," Payne said following Colorado's WBIT loss to Gonzaga on Sunday. "It has become the busiest time of year for coaches."

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Jack Carlough
JACK CARLOUGH

Jack Carlough graduated from the University of Colorado with a degree in journalism and minors in business and sports media. Born and raised in the Boulder area, Jack was the head sports editor of the CU Independent during his college career. More recently, he spent over three years as the managing editor of Colorado Buffaloes Wire, part of the USA Today Sports network. Other publications Jack has written for include the Boulder Daily Camera, Left Hand Valley Courier and SB Nation’s Ralphie Report.

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