A Glimpse Into the Future as Present Merges with Past
Men’s basketball lifted by a blend of generations
Mike Brohard
As nostalgic as the scene was, one could almost have predicted the day. All because of the blueprint. Not just the how to win, but the right young men on the roster. Great players, better people. Individual talents with team at their core.
Wednesday at Moby Arena, the present of Colorado State men’s basketball played alongside the players of the past. The reality was a sneak peek into the future.
“It's cool to see that many guys from different eras coming back to hang out and play and keep those relationships building over time. And I think it's great for our players now to see that those relationships are bigger than what the basketball is,” CSU coach Ali Farokhmanesh said. “The basketball unites us, but the relationships are what keeps us together. And I think the last three days that we've been here it's been so cool to see them reconnecting, but then also connecting with our current players about the things they've been through and everything in Fort Collins and why this place is home for them, even if they haven't been here in three, four years.
“I think that's what we've been establishing with Niko (Medved), and I think that's where it was heading, and I want to keep building on that and make it even better. I've never really done an event like this, and I wouldn't even call this an event. It's this organic thing that Chandler Jacobs reached out and then Isaiah (Stevens) reached out about it and then those relationships that they've had, they just all reached out to each other, and they all wanted to come back. And I think that's what's special.”
The invasion started Monday. Jacobs was on hand early, as was Nico Carvacho. By Tuesday, Stevens, Nique Clifford and John Tonje made their way to town, fresh off the end of the NBA Summer League. In all, 13 former players made it to practice, most participating in drills they ran years ago, taking some reps in practice scrimmages.
In a flash, players fresh out of high school were sharing a court with established professionals. Transfers had a glimpse of what the newcomers already felt – this place is special for all the right reasons.
Most of them made arrangements to make it back to town, making it fit into their schedules. Stevens, Clifford and Tonje begin NBA summer camps soon, as does David Roddy. Others are gearing up for professional seasons overseas.
“Like these dudes, they're in the NBA,’” said Carvacho, looking at Roddy sitting next to him. “They don't have to be here. They’ve got to go to camp in the next week. They don't have to be here. But that's how much we love Fort Collins. How much we love the coaching staff, how much we love Colorado State and each other.
“I think it just makes this experience of going forward in life better.”
All of them came from somewhere else, but they consider Fort Collins home, at least their second. The memories of games are there, but so are the trips to Old Town and Horsetooth Reservoir, the nights spent in each other’s residences watching games on television or playing video games.
The memories are strong, and for all of them, there’s a powerful sense of wanting to give back to a place which delivered for them. For the coaching staff, the right players starts with the person as much as the performance. There’s a reason they all enjoy each other so much.
Coming back isn’t new for any of them; it was just the en masse which made the day stand out.
All the things that we preach about, we talk about, well, they're living proof of those values, those habits, those traditions.Ali Farokhmanesh
“I think just that's the biggest thing for us, you know, just to come back and give,” Roddy said. “I was jumping for joy when Ali got the job and got the call. I mean, it was a no-brainer. You know the things that Coach Medved instilled with us, as well as Ali being an assistant coach, it's just going to carry on. I mean, that culture's going to carry on. Coach is going to recruit high-character guys.
“He's going to recruit the guys that really want to be here and want to win. That's the biggest thing. You know he's going to be in a developing role as well. I mean, he's one of the best in the country at doing what he does. Again, developing four NBA guys, and it's just such a special experience to have all of us achieve our dreams and then come back and pour into the new generation. I'm really excited.”
Basketball drives them, and the sport keeps them young at heart, even if Carvacho refers to himself as the old hat nowadays. When practice was finished, they divided into four teams, a mixture of the current roster and past greats. J.D. Paige could feed Carvacho, but he was just as likely to find a Jon Mekonnen or defend Jase Butler.
When there was an opening on the floor, they were like little kids fighting to fill the spaces. The ability to mix and match was phenomenal to those who will compete for a Mountain West title this season.
None of it was lost on Rashaan Mbemba. He feels his coach is a special person and seeing all of his former players come back just reiterated what he knew. Especially appreciating what precious commodity most of them were eschewing – free time.
“To come back in that break, to just be here, work out with Ali, work out with the guys, that just also shows what kind of person Ali is, what the coach is about, about the relationship,” Mbemba said. “And I think that's just a prime example of that. Like seeing all the guys come back, teaching the young kids, you know. I mean, I never played with Roddy or Nico Carvacho, but I have a great time with Nico. When I was a freshman and I had a week off, I mean, I practiced with him. He taught me a lot, took the time to teach me.”
Because the week wasn’t just about time on the court, it was the evenings away. On Monday, Farokhmanesh and some of his former players went to the PBR event and concert at Canvas Stadium, and throughout the night, he said people continuously came up to him to say the players were some of the favorite people. Not players, and that spoke volumes to the coach and what he believes in for the program.
A night later, the current roster and the former players came together for a team dinner, an evening spent swapping stories and relaying experiences. A time for sage advice to sink in, to pass along what they learned years prior.
“I think we just try to give them tips, you know, because we all went through it. Freshman, you don't play, you don't know what you're doing. Sophomore year, you just keep on growing, you get better and better and better,” Carvacho said. “I think it's really cool for us to come in and just tell them that is normal; so, they understand if you're having a bad time or you're having a tough time, or you don't feel especially like you're at where you think you're supposed to be. Like you can get there, but it takes time.
“You're going to fail; you're going to have bad times. You're going to have ups and downs, but that's just part of it. We've all had it.”
On Wednesday, they wanted just a little bit more. Practice had ended for the team, but nobody was going to tell the former players to leave the court. They picked sides and went at it for another 20 minutes.
Some of the current roster stayed behind to watch and admire. Hopefully to see themselves in that role someday. Mbemba would love to be in their shoes, a successful collegiate career behind him, a professional one still in process, but back in Fort Collins to pay it back. To say thank you and hopefully inspire the next wave.
That’s the dream. As it is for Farokhmanesh. This week, he was able to live his.
“I think that's what I'm most proud of is them being here to influence all the guys. So, they see it,” he said. “All the things that we preach about, we talk about, well, they're living proof of those values, those habits, those traditions.
“They are living examples of that and they're proud examples of that, too.”
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