One of the best players in program history is returning for his fifth and final season with the Colorado State men’s basketball team.
Guard Isaiah Stevens, a multiple record holder for the Rams, tweeted a graphic Friday morning that simply said, “I’m back.”
Stevens entered his name into the NBA draft in March, which allowed him to go through the evaluation process while maintaining his eligibility at CSU. Friday, he withdrew his name from the draft while announcing he will play one more year with the Rams.
The 6-foot native of Allen, Texas, is eligible for a fifth season due to the NCAA’s granting an extra year to those who were impacted by the COVID pandemic.
Stevens participated in the NBA’s G League Elite Camp in May. After that, he did not get an invitation to the NBA combine. That meant he likely would not get drafted to the NBA. He had until May 31 to withdraw his name from the draft.
A four-time all-Mountain West Conference selection and a first-team honoree last season, Stevens holds CSU records for assists all-time (618) and assists in a single game (13). He broke that single-game record in the Rams’ final regular-season game against New Mexico. He had tied it at 12 multiple times.
With one more season, he has a chance to become the program’s all-time leading scorer. He currently sits at 1,774 points. The record is 1,980 held by Pat Durham, who played for the Rams from 1985-1989.
Stevens has started 117 games for the Rams over the past four seasons, averaging 15.2 points and 5.3 assists per game over that span. Last season, despite missing CSU’s first eight games with a foot injury, he averaged 17.9 points and 6.7 assists, earning NABC second team all-district honors for the third year in a row to go along with his conference accolades.
The re-addition of Stevens to the CSU roster finalizes the 2023-24 group, which includes recent transfers in forward Joel Scott from Division II Black Hills State and guards Nique Clifford (Colorado) and Javonte Johnson (New Mexico).
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