Why Nico Carvacho remains unsatisfied

FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Nico Carvacho has already established himself as one of the best big men in the history of Colorado State men’s basketball. The program’s all-time leading rebounder, a top 30 scorer and CSU’s record holder for double-doubles (35), Carvacho has just about done it all for the Rams. Before he leaves Fort Collins, though, the 6-foot-11, 240-pound, senior center still has one goal left: win.

Following the team’s first official practice of the season, Carvacho told DNVR Rams that the individual accolades are neat but at this point, all he cares about is team success. Carvacho knows what it’s like to break program records and put up big numbers that get recognized nationally but that stuff no longer matters to him.

“I’m just trying to win some games my last year,” Carvacho said with a smile. “I’ve got to get into that (NCAA) Tournament.”

Carvacho is coming off of a season in which he led the nation in rebounding (12.9 per game), led his team in scoring (16.2 PPG) and did so without actually being able to fully extend his arms over his head or confidently drive left.

While most fans did not even realize he was injured — Carvacho told DNVR Rams that he did not want to make excuses last year — during the offseason, he had surgery to repair a torn labrum and a torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder. Now that he’s finally healthy, Carvacho says that he is more confident than ever and ready to help contribute in as many ways as possible.

“It made me mentally tougher having to go through the process of rehab and all that,” Carvacho said. “Now that it’s fully healed, I can actually fully extend and get my (release) up higher so it definitely helped my shot.”

As made evident by his desire to win, Carvacho is not interested in taking any short cuts this season. The veteran center explained on Tuesday that none of the coaches are taking it easy on him and are constantly pushing him to improve his game — something that he embraces.

“They know that I can do stuff (well) but they want me to be better and be great,” Carvacho said. “I really like that because I can continue to get better, and I need to get better.”

“I thought he made tremendous strides,” head coach Niko Medved added. “Part of that was just him getting healthy. ”

One of the ways that Carvacho aimed to work on his game over the summer was by testing the NBA Draft waters and receiving feedback from professional coaches and scouts. According to Carvacho, who always intended on returning to CSU, the entire process of going through the pro day in Chicago and meeting with different teams was extremely beneficial to him. Not only did they confirm what he already knew — that he needs to extend his game, improve at the free throw line and become more physical — but it allowed him to begin developing relationships with NBA franchises as well.

As a former zero star recruit, Carvacho thinks it’s cool that professional teams even know who he is. The big man has come a long way since his days as a role player behind Emmanuel Omogbo on CSU’s 2016-17 squad and is proud of the work he’s had to put in to even get to where he’s at today.

“I thought it was a really cool thing, just three years out, to be able to do that and continue to grow,” Carvacho said.

The coaches are proud of the work that the ‘Big Chile’ has put in as well. Following practice on Tuesday, Medved expressed that he has been pleased with how all the veterans have really matured into leaders for the young squad. As Medved explained, Carvacho, Kris Martin and Hyron Edwards were once the young players needing guidance so it’s encouraging to see them passing down wisdom and tricks of the trade to their younger teammates.

Specifically speaking about Carvacho, Medved wants to see the big man continue to lift up his teammates and be the senior leader that the Rams need him to be.

“It’s about how he can continue to lift the other guys’ play,” Medved said. “That’s the next step with great players — it’s not just how great they are — but how do they make everyone else around them better? He’s continued to embrace that and that’s what the truly great players do.”

Carvacho and the Rams will take the floor for the first time this year on November 5. The University of Denver will come to Moby Arena before CSU faces Duke on Nov. 8.