Julian Hammond III has been in a starring role before. It was a relatively brief moment in time, and it was a starting assignment Hammond probably knew at the time wouldn’t last through the offseason.

Still, when the Colorado men’s basketball team had to turn to Hammond late in the 2022-23 season, the former two-sport standout at Cherry Creek responded with his best stretch of basketball in a Buffaloes uniform.

Most of Hammond’s recruiting classmates are gone now, as is the core of a Buffaloes team that culminated Hammond’s first three seasons with last year’s appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Unfortunately for Hammond, he could only watch during CU’s postseason run as injuries derailed his junior season. Now fully healthy and in charge of the Buffs’ attack, Hammond is providing the leadership for a new-look roster with the goal of attacking the 2024-25 season with the form he flashed at the end of 2022-23.

“I got my opportunity to start some games then, and I took advantage of it,” Hammond said. “It’s no different now. I’m going to go out there and show I can compete with the best guards in the country.”

Hammond enjoyed a few moments last season, particularly early, reaching double-figure points in seven of the first 12 games while providing a reliable bench option in the backcourt behind KJ Simpson. But Hammond suffered a back injury at Arizona on Jan. 4 and never quite regained his form.

He missed only two games but struggled afterward, eventually missing the season’s final 11 games after a knee injury compounded his back problem. Prior to the back injury, Hammond shot .516 overall with a .457 mark on 3-pointers. In the 10 games between his return from the two-game absence before going down for good with the knee issue, Hammond shot .327 overall and went 7-for-24 on 3-pointers (.292). To pour salt in his wounds, Hammond could only watch as the teammates he’d grown up with led CU to the Pac-12 title game as well as two wins in the NCAA Tournament.

“That was terrible, I’m not going to lie. That was disappointing,” Hammond said. “That’s what you’re playing for every year. That’s what you’re looking forward to. It was real disappointing not being able to play, especially with the team we had. I definitely feel like I could’ve helped the team out. But it’s a new year and we’re going to try to get back there again.”

While Hammond was sharp early last year, it was the form he flashed as a spot starter late in the previous season that the senior hopes to recapture as a full-time starter.

With Simpson sidelined by mono, Hammond took over for the final five games of ‘22-’23 and thrived, averaging 13.2 points while shooting .490. Hammond also recorded 20 assists against eight turnovers during that span and posted what remains a career-high 21 points against Washington at the Pac-12 tournament.

No doubt, it was a small sample size. But if Hammond can come close to replicating that production over 30-plus games this season, it will erase one of the more prominent preseason questions for a Buffs team bereft of proven production in the backcourt.

“Being vocal. Helping the young guys. Helping the new guys get situated and understand what the standards are in the program, what the expectations are,” CU head coach Tad Boyle said. “I think the biggest thing is using his voice, making sure his voice his heard. KJ became really, really good at that. You don’t find out what kind of leadership you have until you face adversity. We haven’t faced any of that yet. When we do, not if we do, it’s going to be critical that he brings the guys together and not let guys go in their separate corners and sulk and pout. Bring them together, stay positive, and let your voice be heard.”