If 7-foot-1 Ben Mills turns out to be as effective as Colorado’s last 7-footer, new CU men’s basketball coach Tad Boyle will have landed a keeper.
With the necessary paperwork having been completed Wednesday, Boyle officially announced the signing of the towering Mills, an all-state player from Arrowhead High School in Hartland, Wis. He will be CU’s first 7-footer since David Harrison (2001-04), who became an NBA first-round draft choice.
Mills picked CU over Georgia Tech and Oregon State. He averaged 17.1 points, 11.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game this season in leading Arrowhead to its first-ever state championship in boys basketball. Hartland is a suburb of Milwaukee.
Mills originally signed with Boise State in November. But he was released from that letter of intent this spring after Boise State made a coaching change. Mills went on to have a big senior year and more suitors came calling after he went back on the market. Other schools to offer Mills in the spring included Northwestern, Iowa State and Xavier.
At 215 pounds, Mills needs to add bulk and strength. But Boyle loves his potential.
“Ben has all the tools and skills of a big man to play in the Big 12,” Boyle said in a CU news release. “He has a tremendous upside, loves the game of basketball and wants to get better every day. We are pleased to get someone of Ben’s drive, skill and talent this late in the recruiting period.”
Mills became the third addition to CU’s roster since Boyle arrived as coach on April 19. The center joined 6-7 forward Andre Roberson, an all-state forward at Converse (Texas) Wagner High School, and 6-5 guard Carlon Brown, who played three years at the University of Utah. Brown must sit out the 2010-2011 season as a transfer and then will have one year of eligibility at CU.
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
