Colorado transfer eager to take Tech higher

Luke O’Brien says he’ll help the team chase titles again.

Truth be told, there was absolutely nothing wrong with his situation at Colorado, Luke O’Brien said.

“A lot of people were expecting I didn’t like the coaching staff, or some people said I wasn’t getting enough playing time or whatever — definitely false,” the 6-foot-8, 222-pound guard told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I love the coaching staff there, loved my time there, love the players. I had a blast my four years. But it really was because I had an extra year (of eligibility) from

COVID, so I wanted to use it. I’m graduating from CU, and I kind of feel like I did everything I wanted to do.”

The next chapter of O’Brien’s basketball career begins in June when he moves to Atlanta and joins the Yellow Jackets. O’Brien announced April 22 that he will transfer to Georgia Tech for the 2024-25 season.

A Colorado native and graduate of Columbine (Colo.) High School, O’Brien played in 111 games for the Buffaloes from 2020-23. He scored 538 points (an overall average of 4.8 points per game), shot 35% from 3-point range and brought in 416 rebounds.

More notably, perhaps, is that O’Brien was a part of two NCAA Tournament teams and has three postseason wins under his belt. He said his focus coming to Tech will be to help the Jackets return to March Madness.

“The guys there, they were young last year, but there’s no excuse this year,” O’Brien said. “I feel like we have a good team coming in, and I want to do whatever it takes to win the ACC championship and get to the tournament again because it’s probably the best feeling as a college athlete to see your name on that Selection Sunday.”

O’Brien averaged more than six points a game in each of the past two seasons and made 55 3-point shots over that span. He cautioned that those numbers don’t tell the whole story, explaining that he had a defined role within the Colorado team and tried to do all the little things to help the Buffaloes win.

Toughness, strength, shooting and driving to the basket were some of the attributes O’Brien said he takes pride in when describing his game. He comes to Atlanta with 18 double-digit scoring games on his resume and five contests with double-digit rebounds.

O’Brien, Colorado’s Class 5A State Player of the Year as a high school senior after averaging 26 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks per game, did acknowledge that living in the South will be an adjustment, but he already has attended a Braves game at Truist Park, and he’s excited about strengthening a bond he feels he already has with his new teammates.

And, O’Brien said, Tech coach Damon Stoudamire and Tech assistant coach Nate Babcock have given him a plan on how to develop his game in the coming months.

“I impact winning on different

things, and that’s one of the reasons why we’re successful at CU,” O’Brien added. “I just wanna bring that level of toughness and leadership and even more, honestly, to Georgia Tech.”

AMANDA LOMAN/AP Luke O’Brien (left) said he loved his four years playing for Colorado, but an extra year of eligibility led him to join the Yellow Jackets. O’Brien said he wants to help lead the team to an ACC title and the NCAA Tournament.