Colorado lands 2023-24 NAIA Player of the Year Elijah Malone via NCAA Transfer Portal

The Colorado Buffaloes have landed a big fish out of the NCAA Transfer Portal, 2023-24 NAIA Player of the Year out of Grace College, Elijah Malone, is joining the squad, the school announced on Monday.

Colorado took to social media to share the news, posting a graphic featuring Malone on X (formerly known as Twitter), as it’s evident they’re excited for the arrival of the former NAIA superstar.

𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟.@elimalone55 is a Colorado Buffalo 🦬 pic.twitter.com/JaWbHZgdGC

— Colorado Men's Basketball (@CUBuffsMBB) April 29, 2024

Malone played in all 36 games this season for Grace, shooting .630 overall while averaging 17.3 points and 8.3 rebounds, according to Pat Rooney of the Longmont Times-Call. “He also shot a solid .369 from 3-point range and put up an .814 free throw percentage. In four seasons at Grace, Malone played in 139 games (117 starts), averaging 14.1 points and 7.3 rebounds while shooting .653 overall and .394 (99-for-251) on 3-pointers.

“Malone also finished with a .722 career free throw percentage, shooting .696 at the line as a freshman before gradually improving along the way to this year’s .814 mark (131-for-161),” Rooney shared.

As Colorado looks to move forward and make a larger impact in the Big 12 Conference, the Buffaloes have added a fascinating, talented piece, and Elijah Malone will be hoping to prove his mettle at the next level.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire.

The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

Colorado forward Cody Williams declares for the 2024 NBA Draft

Meanwhile, Colorado forward Cody Williams has declared for the 2024 NBA Draft, per Adrian Wojnarowski. He only spent one season with the Buffaloes.

In Williams’ lone season at Colorado, he averaged 11.9 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game while shooting 55.2% from the field and 41.6% from beyond the arc. At 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan, Williams boasts equally enticing potential on defense.

In Colorado’s two games in the NCAA Tournament, Williams tallied a combined 21 points while connecting on 7-13 attempts from the floor. Williams scored a career-high 23 points while shooting 3-4 from downtown in Colorado’s 86-70 win over Oregon on Jan. 18.

Along with his decision, Williams released a heartfelt message on social media.

“First and foremost, I would like to give all glory and honor to God, without him none of this would be possible,” Williams wrote. “I want to thank my amazing parents who have been a blessing and made every effort to help me pursue my dream.

“I want to thank my brother Jalen for encouraging, pushing and challenging me to be the best version of myself. Your inspiration means more than you will ever know. I would Ilke to thank Buff Nation, coaching staff, trainers, my teammates, and teachers for all you have done.

“To all my family and friends, my sister Jasmin, of my past teammates, coaches, and trainers, thank you for your continued love and support. Having said that, I will be pursuing my dream and declaring for the 2024 NBA Draft. These are incredibly exciting times, and I am looking forward to this next chapter of my life and what God has in store for me.”

Cody Williams played high school basketball at Perry High School (AZ), where he was a five-star prospect. He was the No. 6 overall recruit in the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.