Justin Neely didn’t need much convincing to pick Colorado.
The former UNC Greensboro forward, who ranked second in the nation in rebounds in 2025 behind first-round NBA Draft pick Hannes Steinbach of Washington, shut down his transfer portal process after one visit. That stop came in Boulder, and it was enough to end the chase quickly.
In an exclusive interview with Colorado Buffaloes on SI, Neely said the combination of Tad Boyle’s staff, the program’s pitch, and the setting around Boulder made the decision easy.
“The staff couldn’t have been better for me,” Neely said. “This was the only visit I went on.
I came out here, I saw the mountains, those were beautiful, and I had a really good couple of meetings with the coaches. They laid out what the plan was going to be for me and how I could impact the team, and it just made sense.”
That kind of immediate buy-in says plenty about what Colorado sold him on. Neely committed just a day after the visit, even though he was an experienced player who led the Spartans in nearly every statistical category last season.
The fit also makes sense on the basketball side. Boyle has built his reputation on toughness, rebounding and defense, and that message has already been reinforced with the current group. Colorado forward Noah Feddersen said the coach has been pushing those themes hard.
“He’s definitely been big on that, even more lately. We’ve been talking more about defense and rebounding,” Feddersen said.
“He’s been getting on us lately, which is good; we need that. It’s nice to hear his voice pushing us.
That makes us all want to get better, so it’s been really good.”
Neely should have a clear lane to make an impact. Colorado’s offseason transfer portal turnover opened up room in the frontcourt, and he looks positioned to be the Buffs’ primary rebounder in most lineups.
There’s offense to go with that role, too. Neely averaged 17.9 points per game in 2025, tops on the Spartans and fifth-best in the SoCon.
If he stays healthy and handles the jump to the Power Four level, Colorado has every reason to expect a productive season from one of its biggest portal additions.
In Other News...
Colorado Transfer Already Sounds All In On Deion And Brennan Marion
Colorados receiver room is getting another name to watch for 2026, as DeAndre Moore II has committed to transfer to the Buffaloes after three seasons at Texas. Moore arrives with a solid rsum, having put up 988 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns for the Longhorns, and his move adds another experienced pass catcher to a program that has made a habit of reworking its offense through the portal.
What makes this one stand out is the fit as much as the production. Moore sounded genuinely eager to join Deion Sanders and Brennan Marion, and Marions connection matters here after first recruiting him at Texas in 2022 before getting another chance to bring him to Boulder. For Colorado, it is another sign that the staffs recruiting pitch is resonating with players who already know what Marion can do with receivers. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Freshmen Already Face A Test Buffs Fans Were Dreading
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Barrington Hargress has already gone on record backing the group, pointing to the recruiting work that brought it together and the variety of backgrounds in the class. Rider Portela headlines the haul as a four-star addition, while other freshmen bring professional seasoning from Australias National Basketball League, a wrinkle that could help Colorado faster than expected if the group settles in quickly. [Read more 🡒]