Photo credit: Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports
BOULDER – Replacing Daniel Amigo just got a little bit easier for Rodney Billups and the Denver Pioneers staff. Sources tell and confirm to LetsGoDU that former Colorado Buffaloes big man Tory Miller-Stewart is transferring south down the Front Range.
The graduate transfer from Tad Boyle’s program recorded 488 points and 371 rebounds in Boulder. His 2017-18 season was supposed to be his first as a bonafide starter, coming out from behind the shadow of Josh Scott, Wes Gordon and Xavier Johnson but just six games into the season he broke his foot in practice, which ended his season.
These moves put Denver within striking distance of Mike Daum and South Dakota State for the Summit League’s top spot. The move will be official once Miller-Stewart is officially admitted to the University.
Miller-Stewart has already played for Billups. Billups was on the Buffs staff from 2010-17 and played a large role in the recent success of Colorado Basketball.
The Kansas City native, Miller-Stewart, played for New Hampton Prep before coming to Colorado He was a three-time All-Conference player and an All-state selection his senior year. He also played on AAU Ball for Kansas City Run GMC.
With Amigo now graduated, his 15 points and seven rebounds a night seem to have procured a replacement. Just like the 6-foot-10 Amigo, the 6-foot-9 Miller-Stewart had a field goal percentage in the .530s in his last full season.
Couple Miller-Stewart with newly added transfer 4-Star Ronnie Harrell from Creighton and the Pios have already had a terrific offseason. The only bad news for Billups thus far comes from Minnesota. The St. Cloud Times reported Minnehaha Academy’s Javonni Bickham—a DU commit—had surgery on both knees. Bickham’s Twitter still shows that he is coming to DU but it is doubtful that he will be a major contributor next season. Freshman guard Elijah Blake met a similar fate after signing with Denver last year and was a redshirt this past season.
Add 20-year-old Turkish recruit Alperin Kurnaz and new freshman signee, Texas prepster David Nzekwesi, and there is plenty of front-line depth joining Donoven Carlisle and Jake Krafka on the squad.
Now, the focus shifts to guard where DU will look to add reliable point guard play and scoring beside Joe Rosga. Returning players Ade Murkey and Elvin Rodriguez will battle for playing time with freshmen Taelyr Gatlin, Joseph Lanzi and Jase Townsend. If DU can get consistent back-court play, DU is poised for a record-setting season under Billups.
Great post. Very optimistic. Lots of new talent, but in hoops, kids gel quickly. Also, young good players are good players right away.
Great news, indeed. Great ‘scoop’, too, as LetsGoDU breaks the story! Getting another big body, veteran player like Miller-Stewart with his major conference experience can really help the Pios gain ground in the Summit. Illinois and Arkansas were two of the schools considering adding him, but DU can offer him a major role and more playing time, plus he already knows what life in Colorado will be like.
I think this transfer certainly places DU in the top 3 conversation in the Summit League out of the chute, but given both Harrell and Miller-Stewart are one-year only players, they need to be good right away. Of course, all these guys need to gel on the court, but this year could finally be the year where we get to see more of Rodney’s guys than Joe Scott’s guys…
If DU could finally break through and get an NCAA bid, it could really change the entire program….
The remaining big need for DU is guard play, opposite Rosga. Murkey and Rodriquez will be battling a host of new guards to nail down that spot on the floor.
With the return of Mike Daum to SDSU, 6’7″ Ronnie Harrell Jr. is athletic enough to challenge Daum on the wing and stop his drive to the hoop. And, Miller should be able to clean up in the interior. Once unsettled, DU’s interior looks very good.
Denver should be in the conversation for their first Summit title but it will take some time to get the new guys to jell. Expect an uneven non-conference performance until the open guard slot solidifies. By then, DU will be ready for conference play.
Also, let’s hope Miller-Stewart’s foot problems are better. This can be a concern with big guys. But, best of all, he is from Kansas City!
Great post. Very optimistic. Lots of new talent, but in hoops, kids gel quickly. Also, young good players are good players right away.
Great news, indeed. Great ‘scoop’, too, as LetsGoDU breaks the story! Getting another big body, veteran player like Miller-Stewart with his major conference experience can really help the Pios gain ground in the Summit. Illinois and Arkansas were two of the schools considering adding him, but DU can offer him a major role and more playing time, plus he already knows what life in Colorado will be like.
I think this transfer certainly places DU in the top 3 conversation in the Summit League out of the chute, but given both Harrell and Miller-Stewart are one-year only players, they need to be good right away. Of course, all these guys need to gel on the court, but this year could finally be the year where we get to see more of Rodney’s guys than Joe Scott’s guys…
If DU could finally break through and get an NCAA bid, it could really change the entire program….
The remaining big need for DU is guard play, opposite Rosga. Murkey and Rodriquez will be battling a host of new guards to nail down that spot on the floor.
With the return of Mike Daum to SDSU, 6’7” Ronnie Harrell Jr. is athletic enough to challenge Daum on the wing and stop his drive to the hoop. And, Miller should be able to clean up in the interior. Once unsettled, DU’s interior looks very good.
Denver should be in the conversation for their first Summit title but it will take some time to get the new guys to jell. Expect an uneven non-conference performance until the open guard slot solidifies. By then, DU will be ready for conference play.
Also, let’s hope Miller-Stewart’s foot problems are better. This can be a concern with big guys. But, best of all, he is from Kansas City!