Tad Boyle has done a lot at Colorado. He’s checked boxes previously unchecked on multiple fronts. He did it again on Wednesday. The Buffs signed their first 5-star recruit of the Boyle era.

Gilbert (Ariz.) Perry wing Cody Williams announced in a signing day ceremony at his high school that he’ll begin his career in Boulder. Williams is a 5-star and one of the best wing prospects in the 2023 class. He chose the Buffs over LSU, Arizona, and USC, among others.

The brother of Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams, Cody is a 6-foot-8, 180-pound small forward. According to the 247 Composite, he’s the second-ranked recruit from the state of Arizona, the fifth-ranked prospect at his position, and the 23rd overall prospect in the class.

“With Cody, being a West Coast guy, we knew the family because we had recruited his older brother a little bit,” Boyle said, via BuffStampede’s Adam Munsterteiger. “Obviously, we weren’t smart enough to go all-in on his brother. But I told Cody when I make one mistake, I try not to compound it with making two. So, I said, ‘We’re going to recruit you as hard as we’ve recruited anybody.’ And we did. I think our core values of our program and the way we develop players really resonated with Cody and his family. I’m really pleased.

“… But with Cody, I’ve always told you, I don’t get into rankings, I don’t get into how many stars are next to kids’ names. But I know really special, talented players and Cody Williams is a really special, talented player.”

Williams averaged 15.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 24 games with Vegas Elite on the Nike EYBL circuit last spring and summer.

247Sports Adam Finkelstein wrote this on Williams’ game:

“When it comes to untapped upside, Williams has as much as any 2023 wing in the EYBL. The younger brother of Jalen Williams, who was just drafted in the lottery by the OKC Thunder out of Santa Clara, Cody is already farther along at the same stage. He’s a jumbo wing with terrific positional size at 6-foot-8, long arms, and a lot of fluidity as he covers the court. He’s very lean, and not yet able to play through contact on a consistent basis, but there is a ton of natural talent to develop. He has a terrific left hand that allows him to slash and score inside the paint equally well with both hands. He’s a willing ball-mover and shows a subtle, but solid, feel as a passer. He doesn’t yet pose a consistent shooting threat from behind the arc, shooting just 20% in EYBL play, but has the soft overall touch to develop as a shooter as he condenses his release. Defensively, there are undeniable tools with his length and fluidity, but he still has a long way to go before maximizing those traits on that end of the floor. Similarly, his energy level can be inconsistent at times, which can compound his current struggles with physicality. Overall, many of those concerns aren’t very different from where Jalen was at a couple of years ago, and if Cody can develop along a similar trajectory, his ceiling could be very high.

Williams joins off-guard Courtney Anderson in the Buffs’ Class of 2023. You can see some of his highlights below.