Colorado adds Swedish forward Bobi Klintman and transfer guard Ethan Wright

BOULDER — The Buffs’ offseason moves might be done.

Colorado added two players to its basketball team on Thursday, which could solidify the group for the 2022-23 season. The first announcement came from Swedish forward Bobi Klintman and the second came from Princeton graduate transfer Ethan Wright, who has one year of eligibility remaining. Both players visited campus last weekend. As of today, the Buffs have a full roster of scholarship players, but one more could come open if forward Jabari Walker decides to play pro ball next season.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CcVsza7r-jk/

Super excited to announce my commitment to Colorado!! 🦬🏔#Committed #SkoBuffs🔥 pic.twitter.com/9FI1SbG4KO

— Ethan Wright (@ewright3862) April 14, 2022

Klintman is a 6-foot-9 combo forward who played his lone season in the United States last year with Sunrise Christian in Florida. He originally committed to Maryland but backed out when head coach Mark Turgeon left the program in December. He is the son of a professional basketball coach in Sweden.

Klintman is a stellar shooter from deep and he’s a smooth athlete for his size. His vision and passing ability come as no surprise given he comes from Europe but they still pop on tape. He’s an explosive athlete who can play above the rim but he is still growing into his body and settling into the American game. He chose Colorado over offers from Arizona State, Texas A&M, Kansas and others.

Wright should immediately step in as Colorado’s best shooter. He knocked down 39.5% of his shots from deep at Princeton last season while shooting six per game. He shot 50% from the field last year, good for third in the Ivy League, while also scoring 15.7 points for game, which was sixth in the conference.

At 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds, the Massachusetts native is a gritty two-way guard who should provide a solid 3-and-D presence in to a young group, at the very least. The most surprising part of his game is his rebounding ability; he finished fourth in the Ivy League with 6.9 rebounds per game. He was a second-team All-Ivy-League selection and a three-time Ivy League Player of the Week at Princeton.

Here’s what Colorado’s offseason looks like so far:

OUT:

• F Evan Battey
• G Elijah Parquet
• F Will Loughlin
• G Keeshawn Barthelemy

IN:

• F/C Joe Hurlburt
• G RJ Smith
• F Bobi Klintman
• G Ethan Wright

The big question is whether forward Jabari Walker will return for his junior season. Walker is the best rebounder in the Pac-12 and he provides spacing and an interior presence on the offensive end of the floor. If he opts out of the NBA Draft—the deadline is June 1—the Buffs are out of scholarships. If he leaves, the Buffs can add one more player to the roster in his place. Assuming the decision comes after May 1, Colorado would have to add a grad transfer or a high school recruit for the player to be eligible this season.

Assuming Walker stays, the Buffs rotation should look something like this:

PG: KJ Simpson, Julian Hammond III, Javon Ruffin
SG: Nique Clifford, Ethan Wright, RJ Smith
SF: Tristan da Silva, Luke O’Brien, Quincy Allen
PF: Jabari Walker, Bobi Klintman
C: Lawson Lovering, Joe Hurlburt

Honestly, it’s tough to say where to put a bunch of these guys. Simpson and Ruffin could play either guard spot. Clifford and O’Brien could play shooting guard or small forward. O’Brien could probably play a few minutes at the four, too. Da Silva can play the three or the four. Hurlburt might be more of a power forward than a center, especially before he grows into his body.

The Buffs figure to have one of the most versatile rosters in the Pac-12 and they’ll have the weapons to mold their lineup to fit their opponent on any given night. They can play big. They can play small. Regardless, they should be very switchable on the defensive end.