Even with spots still to be finalized, the roster construction for the 2025-26 Colorado men’s basketball team isn’t difficult to break down.
There are the four returning rotation players, all of whom, to one degree or another, showed signs of improvement and encouragement down the stretch of what otherwise was a forgettable 21-loss season for the Buffaloes. That group includes Felix Kossaras, Elijah Malone, Sebastian Rancik and Bangot Dak, who is sidelined for the summer due to an injury but is expected to be at full strength by the preseason.
There are the two transfers in Jon Mani and Barrington Hargress, with Hargress in line to take over the point guard role after leading the Big West Conference in scoring last season at UC Riverside.
There are the rookies, the five-player freshman class that is likely to play a critical role in any turnaround by the CU program.
And then there is Andrew Crawford.
The former standout from ThunderRidge High School opted for a redshirt season last year in hopes of getting bigger, quicker, and simply better before diving into Big 12 Conference competition. That time finally is at hand for Crawford, as CU’s summer practices offer an opportunity for Crawford to prepare for actual competition.
“I learned a ton last year, even in our losses,” Crawford said. “I was learning how to take those losses and become better the next day. Defense was another big thing. I learned where to be at, what time, and how to guard the ball a lot better. My body got a lot bigger. I gained some pounds. So it’s easier to play that physical brand of defense. And then the last thing, my 3-ball. My 3-point shot has definitely gotten a lot better and I look to be a great three-and-D playmaker for the team.”
The losing, of course, was difficult to swallow. It was just the eighth 20-loss season in program history, and CU’s 14-21 record accounted for two more losses than Crawford suffered over his final three years at ThunderRidge. With Crawford helping to lead the way, the Grizzlies went 26-2 while winning the 2022 Class 5A title game against a Fossil Ridge team that featured teammate and CU walk-on Nick Randall. ThunderRidge went 22-6 during Crawford’s senior season of 2023-24, again reaching the title game before losing to Valor Christian.
The bulk of power-conference recruits arrive from successful prep programs in which losing wasn’t the norm. Even if redshirting was an endeavor Crawford volunteered for with an eye toward his big-picture development, sitting here helpless while the defeats mounted wasn’t easy.
“The level is different, but it was a lot like being a freshman on varsity (in high school),” Crawford said. “You’re practicing, you’re doing all the reps, but you’re not involved in the game. It’s a little frustrating, especially towards the end of the season when you think, ‘I can come in here and make a difference.’ But in the long run, it’s going to be nothing but beneficial for me.”
At 6-foot-6, Crawford potentially provides the Buffs with a bigger, more physical asset along the perimeter. And he credits exhaustive work with associate head coach Mike Rohn for honing a 3-point shot Crawford hopes to unleash in 2025-26.
“I think I went above and beyond, actually,” Crawford said “I gained a lot more weight than I thought my frame could hold. Which is really positive for me, because that’s one thing that I was really worried about coming in. But I’m glad that all worked out and I plan to keep on getting bigger. And then that 3-point shot, me and coach Rohn were in the gym every day, every game day, before games getting it right, shooting for two hours. There’s a lot of improvement there and I can’t wait to show it this year.”