Notable players who’ve hooped at the CU Events Center in the Pac-12 era
With the 8-8 USC Trojans coming to Boulder on Saturday, Colorado men’s basketball fans are expected to pack the CU Events Center for their first in-person glimpse of Bronny James, the son of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.
The freshman guard and former top-30 prospect hasn’t had the start to his college career that many expected after he suffered a cardiac arrest in August. However, Bronny James has fared well in his return to the hardwood, averaging 5.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists since debuting on Dec. 10.
Because James’ upcoming visit to Boulder has garnered more anticipation than any player in recent history, we looked back at the most popular opposing players to visit the CU Events Center during the Pac-12 era:
Lonzo Ball (UCLA)
Colorado 89, No. 4 UCLA 104 (Jan. 12, 2017) – 11 points, 3-6 FG, 8 assists, 3 steals, 2 rebounds
When you’re one of the top point guards in the country and your father is LaVar Ball, who proclaimed his son was better than Steph Curry, people are going to want to see what you’re all about. In a resounding win for the Bruins, it was senior Bryce Alford who stole the show as he hit nine 3-pointers on his way to 37 points. However, Lonzo Ball’s eight assists played quite a role in Alford’s career night as Ball commented after the game that he wanted Alford to reach 40.
Aaron Gordon (Arizona)
Colorado 61, No. 4 Arizona 88 (Feb. 22, 2014) – 23 points, 10-13 FG, 8 rebounds, 1 block
Coming out of high school as a top-five recruit, Aaron Gordon received all the hype in his lone year at Arizona due to his freakish athleticism and show-stopping dunks. In his stop in Boulder, Gordon, along with four other soon-to-be NBA players, stomped the Buffs in front of a sold-out crowd. The eventual No. 4 draft pick posted a game-high 23 points, including a highlight reel reverse slam midway through the second half.
Jaylen Brown (Cal)
Colorado 70, Cal 62 (Jan. 31, 2016) – 21 points, 6-15 FG, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 4 turnovers, 4 fouls
On a night when Cal’s best player struggled and dealt with foul trouble, Jaylen Brown still managed to score a game-high 21 points in a loss to Colorado. While Brown didn’t receive the same media attention as Gordon or Ball, the former fifth-ranked prospect and eventual signee of the largest contract in NBA history didn’t fail to put butts in seats when the Golden Bears came to Boulder. For Colorado, Josh Scott led the way with 18 points in the narrow victory.
Evan Mobley (USC)
Colorado 80, No. 19 USC 62 (Feb. 25, 2021) – 13 points, 6-13 FG, 5 rebounds, 1 block, 4 turnovers
Before coming to USC, Evan Mobley (third-ranked recruit in 2020) and his brother Isaiah (No. 24 recruit in 2019) made waves in the high school basketball scene before reuniting in college. While Evan was special in his lone season at USC, his team-high 13 points weren’t enough as Jeriah Horne’s 24 points (6-of-9 from 3) off the bench helped Colorado upset the then-No.19 team in the nation. The Buffs also veered around the younger Mobley, a 2022-23 NBA Defensive Player of the Year candidate, as he only swatted one shot in the 18-point loss. Luckily for the Mobley brothers, the loss came in front of only 98 fans due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Bennedict Mathurin (Arizona)
Colorado 79, No. 2 Arizona 63 (Feb. 26, 2022) – 12 points, 3-11 FG, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks
As the leader of one of the best teams in the nation before getting picked sixth overall in the 2022 NBA draft, Bennedict Mathurin struggled in front of a sold-out CU Events Center. The Buffs beat Arizona in one of the biggest upsets in Colorado history. With Mathurin and the Wildcats getting dominated in the second half, then-sophomore Tristan da Silva scored a game-high 19 points in Evan Battey’s final regular season home game. When the final buzzer sounded and Mathurin’s Wildcats walked off the floor, the Colorado faithful rushed the court in celebration of the Buffs’ highest-ranked win since 1992.
Mathurin also played in Boulder the season prior and scored 22 points in another Arizona loss.
