Observations from start of Colorado State men’s basketball practices

A season of change is here.

There’s been a reconstruction of the Colorado State men’s basketball roster following the 2024 NCAA Tournament appearance.

It was always going to be the case because that 2023-24 team had five seniors, including all-time great Isaiah Stevens. Another five lesser-used players transferred after the season.

So, that means 10 new Rams are getting settled. The team has been going through workouts and practices through most of the summer but the official start of practices for the 2024-25 season began this week.

“Getting everybody integrated in what we’re doing has taken some time, but I really liked how this group has worked,” CSU coach Niko Medved said. “I thought they really improved from the beginning to the end of the summer.”

Here are some big-picture observations from the start of preseason:

This is a new-look team

Ten new players is an eye-catching number. The turnover sticks out in watching practice. There’s no such thing as familiar groups of five on the floor.

Every rotation is a new one.

The team is an interesting mix of returners who will play key roles.

Nique Clifford is a centerpiece after turning down the NBA draft for a second and final year as a Ram. Jalen Lake is another steady hand in his fourth year in the program. Sophomore guard Kyan Evans steps into a big role at point guard with the departure of Stevens. The Rams are hopeful Rashaan Mbemba can be an important piece in the middle, although he’s currently battling an injury.

After that? A lot of new faces in an athletic overall roster.

There are four freshmen and five scholarship transfers.

New leadership

Stevens was the standard of leadership for years. He was complemented by a bevy of other veterans last season.

Now, a new group will run the player-led accountability. Clifford and Lake are both important pieces of that.

By their nature, they’re also quieter leaders. Some transfers are already clearly taking on some of that role, too.

Guards Bowen Born (Northern Iowa) and Keshawn Williams (Northern Illinois) can be seen talking and working through things with younger players.

Purdue transfer Ethan Morton is a loud vocal presence on the floor.

Battles for playing time

What will the rotation be? It’s far too soon to say with this group. Obviously, key players such as Clifford, Lake, Mbemba and Evans have obvious roles.

Morton, Williams and Born all seem sure to be important pieces this season. Big Jaylen Crocker-Johnson (Little Rock) should be in the mix as well.

Will any of the freshmen crack the rotation? There are chances available for bigs, can soft-touch maestro Kyle Jorgensen see the floor early? Will Long Island transfer big Nikola Djapa be in the mix?

A lot is to be determined between now and the first game. The big turnover means this is a team that could shift and change a lot before and during the season.

Colorado State men's basketball 2024-25 nonconference schedule

Times are to be announced.

• Oct. 30: vs. Adams State at Moby Arena (exhibition)
• Nov. 4: vs. North Dakota at Moby Arena
• Nov. 8: vs. Tennessee State at Moby Arena
• Nov. 12: vs. Denver at Moby Arena
• Nov. 16: vs. Ole Miss at Southaven, Mississippi
• Nov. 22: vs. UC-Riverside at Moby Arena
• Nov. 28: vs. Washington at Palm Desert, California
• Nov. 29: vs. Santa Clara or TCU at Palm Desert, California
• Dec. 4: vs. LMU at Moby Arena
• Dec. 7: at Colorado
• Dec. 14: vs. VCU in Henderson, Nevada
• Dec. 17: vs. Radford at Moby Arena

Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on X and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle .

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Observations from start of Colorado State men’s basketball practices