Isaiah Stevens is one of the nation’s most underrated guards, but he’s ready to throw himself — and Colorado State — back into the spotlight.
There’s only one player in the country who has been named an all-conference performer in each of the last four seasons, and he’s entering his fifth year as the starting point guard for Colorado State.
Of course, Isaiah Stevens is well-known in college basketball circles. The 6-0, 185-pound graduate student was named the Mountain West Preseason Player of the Year, after all. But the national buzz around Stevens has always been somewhat subdued.
It makes some sense considering the circumstances: He plays for a non-power conference school near the West Coast; Colorado State does not have a history of basketball success; and while Stevens was a leader for the No. 6-seeded Rams in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, current Memphis Grizzlies forward David Roddy was the headliner.
Stevens had options to improve that profile this offseason. He declared for the NBA Draft and earned an invite to the G League Elite Camp, where he flashed the playmaking and shot-creating skills that have made him successful in the college ranks.
Even once he decided to withdraw from the draft, there were plenty of bigger programs that would’ve welcomed Stevens with open arms — and large NIL deals — had he jumped into the transfer portal.
Instead, he opted to stay in Fort Collins.
MORE FROM HEAT CHECK CBB
—San Diego State Basketball: Expect Aztecs to remain among nation’s best in 2023-24
—NCAA Basketball: 10 undervalued teams in 2023-24 KenPom preseason rankings
—Buy The Almanac: 2023-24 College Basketball Season Preview today!
Log in to your HC+ account or sign up now to view this content.