Colorado head coach Tad Boyle and his program have reportedly benefited from the Class of 2022 Five-for-Five lawsuit this summer, signing fifth-year Jacksonville State transfer Iaroslav Niagu.
The 7-foot forward had originally exhausted all his eligibility, having played a season at USC and Charlotte before his last two seasons with JSU. Yet, after the Wisne v. NCAA ruling this offseason, he became one of numerous plaintiffs in a state-level North Carolina case, granting the extra year planned to spend in Boulder.
247Sports’ Matt Zenitz and Chris Hummer broke the news on X, and BuffStampede has confirmed with sources.
The signing originally appeared to put CU over the 15-man roster limit, which the NCAA introduced ahead of the 2025-26 season. But since walk-on Nick Randall joined the program amid the 2023-24 season, he was grandfathered in, allowing 16 players — 14 scholarships and two walk-ons.
So, the Buffs get to enjoy another frontcourt player in an experienced 7-footer.
Niagu, a Krasnodar, Russia native, averaged 4.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game for the Gamecocks in 20.8 minutes a night last season. In his first season having a true impact, he started 17 of his 29 appearances.
Before his two-year stint in Florida, he played at Charlotte in 2023-24 and at USC the year prior; he played three of 76 Trojan minutes in a 68-61 win over CU, recording a rebound and a foul.
Despite hailing from Russia and spending his last four years in the States, Niagu experienced a year in Australia, developing in the NBA Global Academy before heading to college. NBL1 East program Centre of Excellence, which CU freshman guard Alex Dickeson suited up for this past summer, collaborated with the NBA Global Academy until mid-2025.
While it has yet to be confirmed, it is reasonable to assume assistant coach Nate Tomlinson led the recruitment. The Australian coach appears to have followed Niagu on social media since the recruit’s time Down Under. Plus, Boyle highlighted Tomlinson’s connection with former Charlotte head coach Aaron Fearne, a Queensland, Australia native, after former 49ers big man David Gomez transferred to CU this offseason; Niagu was part of Fearne’s first recruiting class at Charlotte.
While football is on many minds, as preseason college basketball workouts are still a month away, Niagu joins transfer forwards Noah Feddersen (North Dakota State), Justin Neely (UNC-G) and Gomez (Charlotte), along with freshmen Goc Malual and Eric Jacobsen in CU’s interior.
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