Colorado University Athletics
Buffs Add UNCG Transfer Forward Justin Neely
May 07, 2026 | Men's Basketball
BOULDER – Justin Neely, the second-best rebounder in NCAA Division I this last season, has agreed to join the Colorado men's basketball program for the 2026-27 campaign, head coach Tad Boyle announced on Wednesday.
A 6-foot, 6-inch, 220-pound forward, Neely joins Colorado after a standout graduate season at UNC Greensboro, where he averaged a double-double on his way to All-Southern Conference First Team honors. His 11.5 rebounds per game trailed only Washington's Hannes Steinbach on the national leaderboard. Neely led the Spartans and ranked fourth in the Southern Conference in scoring at 17.9 points per game.
"One of our biggest needs coming into this year is to become a better rebounding team, and this kid fits the bill," Boyle said. "He can get balls in his area, and out of his area, offensive rebound and defensive rebound. Rebounding is one thing that translates from level to level," Boyle said. "It translates from high school to college, from college to the professional ranks. If you can rebound, you can rebound."
A native of Miami Beach, Fla., Neely led the nation in defensive rebounds per game (9.1) and was second in total rebounds (391). His 20 double-doubles ranked fourth in the country, just two behind the national leaders (a three-way tie at 22).
A National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-South Atlantic District Second Team pick, Neely scored in double-figures in 30 of 34 contests, including a career-high 35 at Western Carolina on Feb. 18. He had 23 double-figure rebounding games, highlighted by a UNCG Division I era school record of 24 in a SoCon Tournament Quarterfinal win over Wofford on March 7.
Neely shot 54.2 percent from the field and 78.4 percent from the free throw line in 2025-26. He was a force getting to the charity stripe, ranking eighth in the country in free throws made (207) and free throw attempts (264).
"You look at the number of (foul) shots he took this year, for a guy his size," Boyle said. "He scored the ball at a really good clip and rebounded at an exceptional clip. The combination of those two things with the fact that he has experience is something that we really needed because, especially on the front line and even on the perimeter to some degree, it's hard to compete in the Big 12 with just freshmen."
Prior to UNCG, Neely spent four years at UAlbany, where he averaged 8.3 points and 5.4 rebounds while shooting 47.1 percent from the field in 67 games. Neely was the America East Rookie of the Year in 2021-22, averaging 6.4 points while leading the Great Danes in rebounding at 4.4 per contest.
Neely played in just two contests as a sophomore before a season-ending knee injury that also kept him out of all but six games in 2023-24.
He bounced back nicely as a senior in 2024-25, earning America East Sixth Man of the Year honors, ranking fourth in the league in rebounding at 7.1 per game and eighth in field goal shooting at 49.2 percent.
"The thing that stands out about Justin, we always ask kids, especially ones in the portal, 'what are you looking for?'" Boyle said. "Justin's answer was 'I want to go somewhere where we can win.' And that's a very unique answer. A lot of kids say, 'I'm looking for the best fit' or 'I'm looking for a place to play.' There are a lot of different ways to answer that question, but very few kids answer with 'I want to win.' And to me, when you talk about an 'it' factor, you talk about a value system that aligns and that's exactly what we're looking for as well."
A 6-foot, 6-inch, 220-pound forward, Neely joins Colorado after a standout graduate season at UNC Greensboro, where he averaged a double-double on his way to All-Southern Conference First Team honors. His 11.5 rebounds per game trailed only Washington's Hannes Steinbach on the national leaderboard. Neely led the Spartans and ranked fourth in the Southern Conference in scoring at 17.9 points per game.
"One of our biggest needs coming into this year is to become a better rebounding team, and this kid fits the bill," Boyle said. "He can get balls in his area, and out of his area, offensive rebound and defensive rebound. Rebounding is one thing that translates from level to level," Boyle said. "It translates from high school to college, from college to the professional ranks. If you can rebound, you can rebound."
A native of Miami Beach, Fla., Neely led the nation in defensive rebounds per game (9.1) and was second in total rebounds (391). His 20 double-doubles ranked fourth in the country, just two behind the national leaders (a three-way tie at 22).
A National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-South Atlantic District Second Team pick, Neely scored in double-figures in 30 of 34 contests, including a career-high 35 at Western Carolina on Feb. 18. He had 23 double-figure rebounding games, highlighted by a UNCG Division I era school record of 24 in a SoCon Tournament Quarterfinal win over Wofford on March 7.
Neely shot 54.2 percent from the field and 78.4 percent from the free throw line in 2025-26. He was a force getting to the charity stripe, ranking eighth in the country in free throws made (207) and free throw attempts (264).
"You look at the number of (foul) shots he took this year, for a guy his size," Boyle said. "He scored the ball at a really good clip and rebounded at an exceptional clip. The combination of those two things with the fact that he has experience is something that we really needed because, especially on the front line and even on the perimeter to some degree, it's hard to compete in the Big 12 with just freshmen."
Prior to UNCG, Neely spent four years at UAlbany, where he averaged 8.3 points and 5.4 rebounds while shooting 47.1 percent from the field in 67 games. Neely was the America East Rookie of the Year in 2021-22, averaging 6.4 points while leading the Great Danes in rebounding at 4.4 per contest.
Neely played in just two contests as a sophomore before a season-ending knee injury that also kept him out of all but six games in 2023-24.
He bounced back nicely as a senior in 2024-25, earning America East Sixth Man of the Year honors, ranking fourth in the league in rebounding at 7.1 per game and eighth in field goal shooting at 49.2 percent.
"The thing that stands out about Justin, we always ask kids, especially ones in the portal, 'what are you looking for?'" Boyle said. "Justin's answer was 'I want to go somewhere where we can win.' And that's a very unique answer. A lot of kids say, 'I'm looking for the best fit' or 'I'm looking for a place to play.' There are a lot of different ways to answer that question, but very few kids answer with 'I want to win.' And to me, when you talk about an 'it' factor, you talk about a value system that aligns and that's exactly what we're looking for as well."
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