No coach will admit to having favorites, but it’s always been obvious with Tad Boyle, even from the beginning. Boyle inherited an Australian point guard from Jeff Bzdelik and they immediately formed an inseparable connection between basketball minds. He was never the leading scorer, but as a game manager and emotional leader, Nate Tomlinson helped lead the Buffs to the NIT Final Four, a Pac-12 Championship, and an NCAA Tournament win.
Tomlinson had been away since 2012, but he returned last year as a coaching intern. In between Boulder, he played in the National Basketball League and eventually captained his hometown Melbourne United (formerly Melbourne Tigers). At age 28, he retired from playing and joined his father’s basketball staff at Shantou University in the Chinese province of Guangdong. A year later, he has joined his second father, Tad Boyle, as a coaching intern.
Now Tomlinson has been promoted to an official post on the basketball coaching staff. He’s in charge of player development, a position where he should thrive. This figures to be the next of many steps up for him as he climbs the coaching ranks.
Also, Nate, if you’re reading this, I’m truly sorry my mom accosted you on Pearl Street last week and told you that you have the same birthdays. She’s obsessed with her birthday and also doesn’t know how to interact with strangers. I’m also sorry for looking at you and saying “oh hey, Nate Tomlinson,” because sometimes I just blurt out what’s going on in my head.