Colorado Buffaloes basketball coach Tad Boyle had high praise for his players that elected to return for the 2026 season. Guards Josiah Sanders, Ian Inman and Jalin Holland will all return to CU for at least the coming season, and Boyle is gearing up to build the program around them.
“When I think of those three together, I think of toughness,” Boyle said. “I think of the improvement they made over the course of the season and the togetherness they have…Their toughness, energy and work ethic, when you have those attributes to go along with talent, which they all have, you get a chance to have three really good sophomores next year that will take the next step.”
Jalin Holland
Holland’s return is enormous for Colorado’s defensive efforts. He emerged as Colorado’s best on-ball defender as the season progressed, eventually carving out a role in the starting lineup.
“Jalin is a big, physical wing who is a very good defender,” Boyle said. “I thought he was one of our best perimeter defenders on the team this year as a freshman, so we want him to continue along that line, but he became a better shooter as the season went on. He’ll continue to do that throughout the summer and then develop ball handling and decision-making.”
Holland’s offense still leaves something to be desired, as he averaged just 4.9 points per game on 38.9 percent shooting. As for his decision-making, he needs to reduce unnecessary fouls. He averaged 2.4 per game in 2025, and it ultimately cost him minutes.
Josiah Sanders
Sanders emerged as a guard the Buffaloes were also able to use as a small forward when needed. He proved to be a capable rebounder, and with some development of his shot, the sky is the limit for Sanders.
“When we recruited [Sanders], we thought, ‘well, he could play some point guard,'” Boyle said. “I think he’ll have the ball in his hands more next year than he did this year. His ability to get downhill, get to the rim and finish in the lane is really good. He’s a better shooter than he showed this year, but he’s got to continue to work on that and become a guy that makes teams pay if they don’t guard him at the three-point line.”
He shot 46.4 percent from the field but just 12.5 percent from 3-point range. But, as Boyle said, his ability to attack the rim is undeniable, and if he can develop a consistent shot, he’ll be just as much of an offensive weapon as he is on the glass.
Ian Inman
Inman showed potential to be Colorado’s next sharpshooting guard. He flashed his ability to get on hot shooting stretches, especially from beyond the arc.
“Everybody knows that [Ian] is a good shooter,” Boyle said. “The biggest thing we’ve got to challenge him with is to get bigger and stronger in the weight room this summer and become more than just a shooter, which he’s very, very capable of doing, because he can put the ball on the floor.”
He knocked down a season-high five 3-pointers against the Kansas State Wildcats and nailed four on the road against the then-No. 16 Texas Tech Red Raiders. With more consistent minutes, if Inman can contribute in more ways than just his shooting, he could become the primary star to take over for Barrington Hargress in the future after his departure.
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