While the main individual accolade during Colorado's 89-60 win over Cal Thursday afternoon in Boulder was undoubtedly McKinley Wright IV breaking Jay Humphries' (1980-1984) all-time program record for assists, freshman Jabari Walker had a career-best day, hammering the Bears for 23 points, leading all game participants.

The Buffs (10-3, 4-2 Pac-12) went on a 15-3 run leading into halftime, going up 34-23 and near the midway point of the second half, had built an advantage of 20 points and did not look back from there.

Colorado's win on Thursday warrants revisiting how the aforementioned players — Wright IV and Walker — even got to Colorado.

All photos are courtesy of Nigel Amstock, CUSportsNation.com/Rivals

Tad Boyle said on Wednesday that he and his staff weren't overlooking Cal (6-8, 2-6 Pac-12) heading into Thursday's noon tip-off and judging by the clinic the Buffaloes put on the Bears, it would appear neither were his players.

For Wright IV, who needed a lone assist to surpass Humphries' 37-year-old program record for assists, it's fair to say that he did far more than the bare minimum. When all was said and done, Wright IV had 12 assists — good for a career-high.

His dozen dimes were complimented by 13 points, handing him a double-double on the afternoon.

After the game, Wright IV couldn't help but reflect on his time at CU and particular, how his career in Boulder almost never was.

"When I came here, my head was everywhere," he said. "The assists record was the last thing on my mind. I was just trying to establish myself and figure out ways I could help this team win. It was a different transition coming from high school to a Power Five conference."

In the early spring of 2017, Wright IV, then fresh off earning Mr. Basketball honors in his home state of Minnesota following his senior year of high school, was committed and signed to Archie Miller and the Dayton Flyers.

But when Miller jumped ship for Indiana, Wright IV was released from his NLI and the Buffaloes wound up scooping him.

"I'd never seen the kid play — think about that," Boyle reflected. "I saw him on tape, but we weren't recruiting point guards during the early period when he signed to Dayton. Late, we watched film on him, but I'd never seen the kid play."

"I didn't know what we were getting other than his reputation, what people in Minnesota said about him and his coaches. But in terms of what we were getting, I had no idea. You talk about a pleasant surprise and I'm not sure you can have a better one."

While Wright IV's eventual landing in Boulder was nothing short of not planned, true freshman Jabari Walker's recruitment is also worth reinvestigating.

Walker scored a double-double of 15 points and 10 boards on the road at Utah Monday and today vs. Cal, he as even more electric.

He scored a career-best 23 points, going 9-of-13 from the field and a perfect 3-of-3 from long range. Walker's game was multidimensional as it was balanced against Cal. He also contributed a double-double — his second straight — by adding 11 rebounds.

Looking back at his recruitment out of high school, the only other Pac-12 institution to offer him was the one CU just beat.

"I didn't even remember that or realize that until we were talking in the staff in the hallway before we meet as a team," Boyle said. "You're just looking at things to talk about that are related to the game and we talked about the face that Cal had recruited Jabari. I had forgotten that."

"He was the epitome of a late bloomer. We signed him late, along with Jeriah (Horne) and again — sometimes you've got to get lucky in recruiting."

The world of recruiting is a peculiar one, and all too often the stories of what might have been — in Wright IV's case enjoying a college career a world away from Boulder at Dayton and for Walker, perhaps being recruited more heavily out of the gate — are forgotten.

Soon, Wright IV will close the book on an exceptional collegiate career, while Boyle and his coaches are eager to continue watching Walker realize his potential.

"Jabari Walker just keeps getting better before your eyes," Boyle said. "It's so neat to see. His teammates really love him and he's got great confidence on the floor."

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