Colorado basketball fans will get their first look at Alon Michaeli before long. Possibly as soon as game No. 2.
Seeing newcomers Jon Mani and Leonardo Van Elswyk in action will likely take a little longer.
Buffaloes head coach Tad Boyle confirmed the plan to have Mani and Van Elswyk take redshirt seasons. Neither player made an appearance during the Buffs’ season-opening win against Montana State on Monday, and neither did Michaeli.
Michaeli, though, was dealing with a minor ankle injury, and his CU debut could be on deck when the Buffs host Eastern Washington on Saturday (2 p.m., ESPN+).
As is always the case with redshirt decisions, keeping Mani and Van Elswyk on the sideline is dependent on the Buffs not suffering an early rash of significant injuries. But given CU’s improved size and depth across the rotation, Van Elswyk and Mani were facing limited playing time at best.
“I want to make sure we get through the month of November and we’re all healthy,” Boyle said. “Both of those kids have the ability to really help this team. Maybe even this year. But because of the depth, because of the guys that are maybe ahead of them at this point, it makes sense for them and the program to maintain that extra year of eligibility and have it on the back end rather than the front end.
“Maybe I’m naïve, but I still want to recruit, develop and retain. The retention part is the key part of that. But we’re going to develop these freshmen as best we can and hopefully retain them.”
Like Michaeli, the 7-foot-1 Van Elswyk was an international recruit , though he has dual citizenship in Canada. With Elijah Malone entrenched as the Buffs’ starting center, Van Elswyk faced an uphill climb for playing time behind the 6-foot-9 Michaeli and 7-foot freshman Tacko Ifaola, who had two rebounds and an assist in three-plus minutes during his Buffs debut against Montana State.
Boyle admitted the redshirt conversation was more delicate with Mani, since the 6-foot-7 guard played in 30 games last year as a freshman at Denver.
“With Jon, he’s a competitive kid,” Boyle said. “Big-time motor, he’s very conscientious. I love him. I think he’s going to be a good player. He’s got to get stronger. His jump shotap got to get more consistent. This year, I think he can improve in both of those areas. A year from now he’s going to be a hell of a lot better player, because he works hard and he cares and he loves the game.”
Mani’s route is somewhat unorthodox after averaging 2.9 points in 13.9 minutes last year for the Pioneers. Yet it mirrors the path taken by former CU standout George King a decade ago. King saw minimal playing time as a true freshman during the 2013-14 season, then opted to redshirt the following year.
King emerged from the year of workouts as a completely different player for CU’s NCAA Tournament team of 2015-16, winning the Pac-12 Most Improved Player award while posting a .456 3-point percentage that remains second among the Buffs’ all-time season leaders. After averaging just 1.5 points in 27 games during that nondescript freshman season, in 2018 NBA Draft.
“(King) was the first thing (Boyle) mentioned to me. He also mentioned Derrick White,” Mani said. “Thatap obviously something I’m looking to do, and itap cool someone did it before me.
“Itap a benefit to get the extra year where it doesn’t hurt you. You can only get better. My body is the biggest thing about playing at this level, I think that was possibly the thing that held me back a little. Other than that, just becoming a knock-down shooter.”
