Guide to new-look CSU men's basketball roster: Players to watch, newcomers to know and more (2024)

It's been an offseason of change and challenges.

Injuries and illness have meant a lack of continuity in practices and that's for a Colorado State men's basketball team already preparing for a season of change due to an influx of new players after some key departures.

Star point guard Isaiah Stevens went down with an injury during preseason camp, throwing a wrench in the Rams' plans.

"Our biggest challenge is we just haven't had any continuity in practice. We just haven't been able to get everybody out on the practice floor. But to these guys' credit, the guys who are out here battle their tail off. They've been embracing that the whole time," CSU coach Niko Medved said.

"It doesn't matter who is out there, we expect to play well. The biggest thing is these guys expect to play well, they expect to perform well. They love to compete."

CSU raises the curtain on the 2022-23 season Monday, Nov. 7, when the Rams host Gardner-Webb at Moby Arena.

With so much change, there's a lot for fans to learn about this new-look squad. Here's a guide to the roster with a look at who the players are and what role fans can expect to see them play.

0, Trace Young

• Position: Guard
• Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 180 pounds
• Year: Junior
• Role: The walk-on is a scout team leader and hype man extraordinaire (also a TikTok legend).

1, John Tonje

• Position: Guard
• Height/weight: 6-5, 210
• Year: Senior
• Role: Potential star. Tonje was third on the team in scoring last year despite playing the second half of the season on an injured knee. He's healthy now and has the deep shot and athleticism combo to be a top-level Mountain West player.

2, Taviontae Jackson

• Position: Guard
• Height/weight: 6-2, 165
• Year: Freshman
• Role: With Stevens' injury, Jackson is being thrust into a huge role. He likely starts the season coming off the bench, but how well and how quickly he develops could be the most important thing for CSU's season. He's a big-time athlete with star potential.

Replacing Stevens:CSU basketball star Isaiah Stevens is out injured, so who takes the reins for the Rams?

3, Josiah Strong

• Position: Guard
• Height/weight: 6-4, 195
• Year: Graduate transfer from Illinois State
• Role: Strong has missed some of the preseason due to illness, but if healthy is expected to be CSU's starting shooting guard. He may not be available for the opener as he recovers. He brings size and strong defense to the position, along with experience (86 career college games played) and dead-eye shooting (career 40% from 3).

4, Isaiah Stevens

• Position: Guard
• Year: Senior
• Height/weight: 6-0, 185
• Role: CSU's undisputed leader, but it will be a while until fans see him in action. Stevens broke his foot during camp and is out for an extended period. There's no timetable on his return, but don't expect to see him before conference play at the earliest.

5, Baylor Hebb

• Position: Guard
• Height/weight: 6-2, 180
• Year: Junior
• Role: Another player assuming a big role in the wake of the injury to Stevens. Hebb likely is CSU's starting point guard to begin the season. He's played sparingly in two college seasons but Medved says he's a relentless worker who has put in the offseason work to prepare.

10, James Moors

• Position: Center
• Height/weight: 6-10, 260
• Year: Redshirt junior
• Role: CSU's starting center. Moors averaged 4 points and 2.5 rebounds per game last season. As a physically strong player and solid interior defender, CSU will need those numbers to rise this season.

11, Jack Payne

• Position: Guard
• Height/weight: 6-6, 195
• Year: Freshman
• Role: A versatile wing player who the staff thinks will become a solid player in the green and gold. Likely a redshirt season for the freshman.

12, Patrick Cartier

• Position: Forward
• Height/weight: 6-8, 220
• Year: Graduate transfer from Hillsdale
• Role: Cartier played three seasons at DII Hillsdale and was an All-American last season. He has two seasons to play with the Rams and likely starts at power forward. A strong presence inside, he shot near 70% on two-pointers last season and has tracked with similar numbers in camp. Could add occasional 3-piont shooting as well.

15, Jalen Lake

• Position: Guard
• Height/weight: 6-4, 190
• Year: Sophom*ore
• Role: Medved says Lake had a great offseason and the wing is a candidate to take a big step forward after averaging 3.6 points per game last year. He'll see time at shooting guard and small forward. Lake could start if Strong is unable to go in the opener.

20, Joe Palmer

• Position: Guard
• Height/weight: 6-4, 190
• Year: Senior
• Role: One of the more unique and intriguing additions in the offseason. Palmer transferred all the way up from DIII Augsburg, where he was an All-American. He has a quick release on 3-pointers and high-level athleticism. A potential sparkplug player off the bench.

22, Nick Bassett

• Position: Forward
• Height/weight: 6-5, 205
• Year: Senior
• Role: Another scout team star. CSU's 2021-22 all-conference players Stevens and David Roddy frequently lauded the work of players such as Bassett and Young for providing high-level scout-team looks to prepare for games.

23, Isaiah Rivera

• Position: Guard
• Height/weight: 6-5, 210
• Year: Junior
• Role: Another player who seems primed to take another step forward. A solid defender and occasional scorer last season, Rivera will be a key player off the bench.

32, Kyle Evans

• Position: Forward
• Height/weight: 6-10, 200
• Year: Freshman
• Role: A late signing after his recruiting surged on the summer circuit, Evans had Power 5 schools circling. He'll need to add weight to his wiry frame but he has athleticism and shot-blocking potential. With only two other healthy bigs (Moors and Cartier), Evans will likely need to play some minutes this season.

35, Jacob Jennissen

• Position: Center
• Height/weight: 7-1, 240
• Year: Junior
• Role: Overshadowed by the Stevens injury news, but Jennissen's offseason torn ACL was a big blow. Staff and teammates had privately and publicly raved about his growth over the last year and he was expected to be an "X factor" this season. Instead he'll be out for 2022-23 as he goes through his recovery.

Key departures

It was an offseason of transition, with several longtime Rams heading elsewhere. As a refresher, here's a look at who was on the team last year but is gone this season:

• David Roddy: The 2021-22 Mountain West Player of the Year left CSU early to go to the NBA, where he was a first-round pick. He's averaging 20 minutes, 5.5 points and 3.1 rebounds per game through the first seven games for Memphis.
• Adam Thistlewood: The four-year Ram leaves fifth all-time in 3-pointers at CSU. He transferred to Colorado School of Mines.
• Chandler Jacobs: The guard played his last season of college eligibility with CSU, helping the Rams make the NCAA Tournament. He's now playing professionally in Spain.
• Kendle Moore: The four-year starting guard at CSU is top-20 in eight statistical categories as a Ram, but transferred to Missouri State.
• Dischon Thomas: The big man averaged just shy of six points per game last season at CSU and played three seasons as a Ram. He transferred to Montana.
• Jalen Scott: The guard redshirted last year at CSU and is now at South Plains College.

Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on Twitter and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.