Effort sets the tone for Justin Neely’s role at Colorado
In modern basketball, scoring gets the attention. Rebounding requires a different kind of work, with a skillset built on positioning, physicality and willingness to battle for every possession. For 6-foot-6 Colorado Buffaloes forward Justin Neely, that work has become a defining part of his game.
“I was taught at an early age that rebounding can keep you on the court,” said Neely at Winter Sports Media Day. “You want to play a lot of minutes, you got to get rebounds.”
Neely has shown he can control the boards, and now at Colorado, he faces a different challenge: turning that strength into a consistent presence in the Big 12.
Neely entered the transfer portal after spending his fifth season of college basketball with the UNC Greensboro Spartans. He played four seasons with the Albany Great Danes prior to that. In a standout graduate season, Neely averaged 17.9 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. Along with the impressive stat line, he led the nation in defensive rebounds per game, second in the nation for rebounds per game, recorded 20 double-doubles and earned first-team All-Southern Conference recognition. He now has an opportunity to bring those strengths to a new program, with one year of eligibility left.
This production caught the eye of the Buffs, but Colorado head coach Tad Boyle believes the next step in Neely’s development will require more than physical ability and talent. Boyle emphasized that Neely must show up with consistent effort to reach his full potential this season.
“He's got to use his effort. His effort makes up for so many things,” Boyle said.
Boyle said Neely has made progress in his conditioning after being challenged by staff throughout the summer and early fall. While Neely has the physical tools, basketball skills and experience to compete, Boyle expressed that succeeding in the Big 12 requires a combination of those strengths with sustained effort.
“He's a smart player. He's got skills,” Boyle said. “Now, if you get that effort, that is there every possession, every transition defense, every transition offense, and the only way you can do that is if you're in tip-top shape, and so we've really, really pushed him in that area. He's gotten better.”
Neely's mentality behind his talents can carry him far, and the willingness to do the work that isn’t so glamorous exemplifies it.
“It shows how hard you play, and it's the level of toughness that you have to have to be a good rebounder,” Neely said.
It has an effect on everyone. Barrington Hargress, the Buffs’ 6 -foot-1 guard, says Neely’s finesse on rebounding encourages the rest of the team to help produce for him.
“It makes everybody else better when it comes to boxing out and when it comes to crashing because we all want to help him and we want to help him get more boards,” Hargress said. “So I think that his attention to that level of the game is something that's going to bring out the best in a lot of us.”
The growing relationship between individual effort and team success is paramount to Boyle’s approach this season. He has repeatedly emphasized defense and rebounding as foundational pieces of Colorado’s identity, specifically in conference play.
For Neely, his presence has already extended beyond the boards. Hargress described Neely as a guy who brings players together off the court, but can also be a leader and help the younger big men on the team develop their skills.
“Justin has been a really huge leader for us. Whether it's been just getting guys together off the court to do something fun,” Hargress said. “But also telling some of our younger bigs what to look for when running the floor, how to get the ball in the post, and be a little bit more of a force down there.”
Neely’s role doesn’t end at being an elite rebounder. Hargess praised him for being a versatile offensive player who can operate in the short post, mid-post and at the three-point line. That versatility could give the Buffs various ways to use him as he settles into the team’s system.
Still, Neely’s challenge remains in turning his strengths into consistent production. Boyle and staff have seen improvement, particularly in his conditioning, but have made it clear that the physical gifts must be matched with effort and discipline this upcoming season.
Success is ultimately about the way he competes. The rebounds matter, but so do the possessions, guiding his teammates and the effort he delivers, even when the ball isn’t in his hands. With all he brings to the Buffaloes this season, one thing he wants people to recognize about his game by the end of the season is simple.
“I’m a competitor…I’m a winner,” Neely said. “That’s all I want to be remembered for.”
Comments