FORT COLLINS — Another offseason has come and gone and another decision came and went where Nique Clifford was nearly not a member of the Colorado State men’s basketball team.

Last year, Clifford was close to choosing Loyola Chicago when he was in the transfer portal before he ultimately decided to stay in his home state and play for the Rams. This year, the Colorado Springs native left his decision to stay in the NBA draft until the end before returning for a fifth and final season of college basketball.

“I feel old,” Clifford told The Denver Gazette with a laugh recently as he and CSU get set for the start of the 2024-25 season.

For the first time in six years, there’s no Isaiah Stevens or David Roddy in Fort Collins.

Stevens was a linchpin in Niko Medved’s program for five years, leading the Rams to two NCAA Tournament appearances and painting his name all over the record book. Everyone at CSU would love to see his No. 4 hanging in the rafters of Moby Arena someday.

Even if it was just for one season, Clifford got to witness everything that Stevens was about and the imprint he left on the program.

Now, it’s his turn to take that mantle.

“The coaches are heavily reliant on me to be in that role, to look after guys and teach them the ways,” Clifford said. “I’ve only been here for a year so it’s kinda crazy to already be in that role, but I’ve played a ton of college basketball, so I know what it looks like from a lot of different standpoints and I can bring that experience to all the guys on our team.”

After a few years as a defense-first guard for Tad Boyle and Colorado, Clifford’s game was unlocked when he arrived in Fort Collins last year. Behind the best shooting season of his college career, Clifford was third on the Rams in scoring at over 12 points per game and also led the team in rebounds with 7.6 per night.

Medved will ask even more out of him this year, but it’s not a role that’s foreign to him. Once a four-star recruit out at Vanguard in Colorado Springs, Clifford dominated the CHSAA 3A level for over 24 points and 13 rebounds per night.

“It does have that similar feel to high school, a little bit,” Clifford said. “Just kinda being a bigger name, per se. Guys are looking at me for that leadership position and to help them out. I feel a lot more comfortable, as well, being older and more experienced.”

But this isn’t high school. Medved has made it clear the step Clifford is trying to take is arguably the hardest one. Clifford is no longer an unknown commodity. He played a big role in CSU’s NCAA Tournament win over Virginia last year and has been named preseason all-Mountain West ahead of this season.

“So far, he’s been great,” Medved said. “He’s been an ‘every day’ guy. He’s had an unbelievable attitude and he’s done a great job with the other guys.”

Medved saw it click for Clifford about this time last year. He knew that there was more to Clifford’s game than what he showed with the Buffs, but it all came within flow of Medved’s system.

“He started to really see what we have,” Medved said. “He started to flow in what we were doing. We didn’t run any plays for him, but he was just really finding opportunities in our offense to showcase what he can do.”

Now, the Rams will certainly run plays for him — and he’s ready for that. His teammates know he can handle it, too. Just ask veteran Ethan Morton, who spent the last four years at one of the best programs in the country in Purdue.

“He’s legit,” Morton told The Denver Gazette. “The great thing about him is he’s got a great head on his shoulders. He has both his feet where he is and that’s the biggest thing I can say about him. Obviously, his talent is next level. Just the way he moves, sometimes it doesn’t take you long to see that he’s moving a little differently than other guys on the floor.”

Morton played with a pair of lottery picks with the Boilermakers, most notably No. 4 overall pick Jaden Ivey, who Morton says reminds him of Clifford in terms of their athleticism on the court.

“I think, for me, as far as who I’ve seen in person, (Ivey’s) in his own category, but Nique is far off that,” Morton said.

A few years ago, Clifford was just trying to find his way in Boulder. Now, everyone knows who he is.

“It’s crazy,” Clifford said. “It’s a blessing to see where I’m at and see how much I’ve progressed and grown maturity wise, on and off the court. I’m proud of myself for sticking with it to make it to where I’m at right now, but still a lot of work to do.”

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2024-25 CSU Rams schedule

Monday: vs. North Dakota (7:30 p.m., Mountain West Network)

Friday: vs. Tennessee State (7:30 p.m., MW Network)

Nov. 12: vs. Denver (7 p.m., MW Network)

Nov. 16: at Ole Miss (2 p.m., SEC Network+)

Nov. 22: vs. UC Riverside (7 p.m., MW Network)

Nov. 28: vs. Washington, (4:30 p.m., TruTV at Acrisure Invitational in Palm Desert, Calif.)

Nov. 29: vs. Santa Clara or TCU (TBA, TruTV at Acrisure Invitational in Palm Desert, Calif.)

Dec. 4: vs. Loyola Marymount (7 p.m., MW Network)

Dec. 7: at Colorado (6 p.m., ESPN+)

Dec. 14: vs. VCU (5:30 p.m., Baller TV in Henderson, Nev.)

Dec. 17: vs. Radford (7 p.m., MW Network)

Dec. 21: at Nevada (TBA, MW Network)

Dec. 28: vs. New Mexico (2 p.m., MW Network)

Dec. 31: at San Jose State (TBA, MW Network)

Jan. 7: vs. Fresno State (7 p.m., MW Network)

Jan. 11: vs. UNLV (2 p.m., MW Network)

Jan. 14: at San Diego State (9 p.m., CBS Sports Network)

Jan. 18: at Wyoming (2 p.m., MW Network)

Jan. 22: vs. Boise State (6 p.m., CBSSN)

Jan. 25: at Fresno State (5 p.m., MW Network)

Jan. 28: vs. Air Force (7 p.m., MW Network)

Feb. 5: at New Mexico (8:30 p.m., FS1)

Feb. 8: vs. San Diego State (8 p.m., CBSSN)

Feb. 11: at Utah State (9 p.m., FS1)

Feb. 15: vs. Wyoming (2 p.m., MW Network)

Feb. 18: vs. Nevada (7 p.m., MW Network)

Feb. 22: at UNLV (8 p.m., CBSSN)

Feb. 25: at Air Force (7 p.m., MW Network)

Mar. 1: vs. Utah State (2 p.m., FS1)

Mar. 4: vs. San Jose State (7 p.m., MW Network)

Mar. 7: at Boise State (8 p.m., FS1)

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King’s CSU Rams prediction and team awards

Prediction: 4th-place finish in Mountain West and NIT bid

Team MVP: Nique Clifford

Defensive player of the year: Ethan Morton

Breakout star: Jaylen Crocker-Johnson

Impact freshman: Kyle Jorgensen