Julian Hammond III
Photo by: Tony Harman
Buffaloes Celebrate Season At Awards Banquet
March 09, 2025 | Men's Basketball
BOULDER – University of Colorado men's basketball head coach Tad Boyle announced the team's 2024-25 season awards Sunday afternoon at the Buffaloes' season celebration at the CU Events Center.
Julian Hammond III received the Chauncey Billups Award as the team's Most Valuable Player. The Chauncey Billups MVP Award is one of five voted on by Colorado men's basketball student-athletes. Sebastian Rancik won the Most Improved Player Award, Andrej Jakimovski earned the Best Defender Award and Assane Diop received the Most Inspirational and Tebo Family P.A.S.S. Awards.
In addition, two annual statistical champion awards were recognized. Hammond took home the McKinley Wright IV Assist Award while Trevor Baskin earned the Stephane Pelle Rebounding Award.
Hammond leads Colorado at 12.4 points and 3.1 assists per game while topping the Buffaloes in steals (34), 3-point field goals made (50), free throws made (80) and free throw percentage.
Hammond leads the Big 12 and ranks sixth in the nation at the free throw line shooting 90.9 percent which is on pace for the second-best single season mark in team history. He has led the Buffaloes in scoring 11 times this season and 17 times in assists. Hammond has six 20-point games in 2024-25, including a career-high at UCF on Jan. 8.
Hammond received the McKinley Wright IV Assist Award heading into the Big 12 Championship with 93. He has led the Buffaloes in assists 17 times this season, dishing out a career-best seven on three different occasions, most recently on Senior Day against TCU.
Jakimovski has routinely drawn the opposition's best offensive player throughout this season, proving himself a willing defender. He is second on the team in overall rebounding, with a team-best 110 on the defensive end, and is third on the team in steals.
Rancik took home the Most Improved Player Award for his continued improvement through the progression of his true freshman season. Over the last 12 games, he is fourth on the team in scoring (8.5 ppg), third in rebounding (4.3 rpg) and tied for the team lead in free throws made (27).
Baskin enters the Big 12 Championship with a team-best 153 rebounds and average of 4.9 per game. He has two of the team's three double-doubles this season. Baskin has four double-figure rebounding games including a career and team season-high 16 on Senior Day against TCU.
In its eighth season, the Tebo Family P.A.S.S. Award is named in honor of Stephen Tebo, a long-time supporter of the Colorado basketball program. The award was created to recognize the player, or players, that best exemplified the virtues of Perseverance, Attitude, Selflessness and Success. Diop earned both that and the Most Inspirational Award, recognizing his journey from Africa to Colorado as a teenager and continued success as a student-athlete at Colorado.
Colorado is the 16th seed at the 2025 Big 12 Championship in Kansas City, Mo., and will face No. 9 seed TCU in a first round game on Tuesday, March 11, at 1 p.m. MT.
Julian Hammond III received the Chauncey Billups Award as the team's Most Valuable Player. The Chauncey Billups MVP Award is one of five voted on by Colorado men's basketball student-athletes. Sebastian Rancik won the Most Improved Player Award, Andrej Jakimovski earned the Best Defender Award and Assane Diop received the Most Inspirational and Tebo Family P.A.S.S. Awards.
In addition, two annual statistical champion awards were recognized. Hammond took home the McKinley Wright IV Assist Award while Trevor Baskin earned the Stephane Pelle Rebounding Award.
Hammond leads Colorado at 12.4 points and 3.1 assists per game while topping the Buffaloes in steals (34), 3-point field goals made (50), free throws made (80) and free throw percentage.
Hammond leads the Big 12 and ranks sixth in the nation at the free throw line shooting 90.9 percent which is on pace for the second-best single season mark in team history. He has led the Buffaloes in scoring 11 times this season and 17 times in assists. Hammond has six 20-point games in 2024-25, including a career-high at UCF on Jan. 8.
Hammond received the McKinley Wright IV Assist Award heading into the Big 12 Championship with 93. He has led the Buffaloes in assists 17 times this season, dishing out a career-best seven on three different occasions, most recently on Senior Day against TCU.
Jakimovski has routinely drawn the opposition's best offensive player throughout this season, proving himself a willing defender. He is second on the team in overall rebounding, with a team-best 110 on the defensive end, and is third on the team in steals.
Rancik took home the Most Improved Player Award for his continued improvement through the progression of his true freshman season. Over the last 12 games, he is fourth on the team in scoring (8.5 ppg), third in rebounding (4.3 rpg) and tied for the team lead in free throws made (27).
Baskin enters the Big 12 Championship with a team-best 153 rebounds and average of 4.9 per game. He has two of the team's three double-doubles this season. Baskin has four double-figure rebounding games including a career and team season-high 16 on Senior Day against TCU.
In its eighth season, the Tebo Family P.A.S.S. Award is named in honor of Stephen Tebo, a long-time supporter of the Colorado basketball program. The award was created to recognize the player, or players, that best exemplified the virtues of Perseverance, Attitude, Selflessness and Success. Diop earned both that and the Most Inspirational Award, recognizing his journey from Africa to Colorado as a teenager and continued success as a student-athlete at Colorado.
Colorado is the 16th seed at the 2025 Big 12 Championship in Kansas City, Mo., and will face No. 9 seed TCU in a first round game on Tuesday, March 11, at 1 p.m. MT.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballA Trip Down Under: Colorado Men's Basketball's Australian Tour | Summer 2025
Monday, August 18
Elijah Malone Senior Year Highlights | Colorado Men's Basketball | 2024-2025 Season
Thursday, August 07
The Buffalo Stampede: Mark Johnson talks with Freshman Isaiah Johnson from Los Angeles | Jul 7, 2025
Monday, July 07
The Buffalo Stampede: Mark Johnson introduces FR Jalin Holland from Los Lunas, NM | Jul 14, 2025
Monday, July 07