Trevor Baskin ready to showcase hoops skills with CU Buffs

Apr. 30—The extra season of eligibility granted by the NCAA for the 2020-21 COVID season has unleashed a number of previously unforeseen opportunities upon the game of college basketball.

Trevor Baskin's story certainly is one of them.

A gangly and overlooked recruit out of Pomona High School in Arvada four years ago, Baskin gradually played his way into one of the top players in the Division II Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference through his first three seasons at Colorado Mesa.

Going into his senior season last fall, Baskin outlined a plan. If all went well, he'd use that extra season to play a final season elsewhere. That plan always included a possible step up in the competition level, but it didn't necessarily include a dream gig at the University of Colorado. Yet that's exactly how it played out, as the RMAC Player of the Year officially became a part of the Buffaloes' program on Monday after committing two weeks ago.

"I just said there was a possibility of going to a bigger school for my fifth year," Baskin said. "They were a school that reached out very early. Coach (Mike) Rohn was the first coach to reach out to me and then coach (Tad) Boyle talked to me that same day. The relationship kind of grew from there. I went on an unofficial (visit) and then an official a little later on. I was excited to hear from them for sure."

Part of Baskin's intrigue is how he was able to turn himself into a dominant player over the course of four years at Mesa. The 6-foot-9 forward improved incrementally each season, averaging 4.8 points and 3.3 rebounds in 23 games as a freshman before posting career-highs in points (18.2), rebounds (8.3), 3-point percentage (.365) and assists (3.9) as a senior this past season.

Baskin ended his Mesa career ranked fifth on the program's all-time scoring list with 1,656 points. The leading name on that list is Baskin's father, Jon, formerly the head boys basketball coach at Pomona.

"I've always felt like if you can play, you can play," Boyle said. "A lot of people I think make more of the level, whether it's Division II or lower level Division I. Trevor can play. He's a good player. He's got the size. He's got the skill. He's a very competitive young man, very confident. He wants to prove he can play college basketball on the biggest stage, and he's going to have an opportunity to do that. His versatility brings a lot to the table."

At CU, Baskin could essentially serve as a replacement for Tristan da Silva. While it might be a big ask to expect Baskin to replace da Silva's 16.0 points per game, he brings a similar skill-set to the mix as a rangy forward who can pitch in on the glass, take advantage of matchup opportunities inside, and knock down an occasional 3-pointer. Baskin shot .323 on 3-pointers in 124 career games at Mesa, but he shot .361 (53-for-147) from long range over the past two seasons.

"It was kind of a match made in heaven," Baskin said. "The location is amazing obviously because it's close to where I'm from. They've had great success over the years, going to the NCAA Tournament and competing. Everything they have there is amazing that I think I can really improve as a player. And they're going to the Big 12 and playing in Maui, which are big selling points. "