The University of Colorado Boulder will host an NBA preseason game between the Denver Nuggets and the Utah Jazz on Sunday, October 4, at 5 p.m. in the CU Events Center. This marks the fourth time the Nuggets have traveled US Route 36 for a preseason contest, a route that has connected Boulder to the rest of the state since the early 20th century.
Venue and Atmosphere
The CU Events Center, long a cornerstone of Colorado Buffaloes athletics, will transform into a professional basketball arena for the evening, blending the electric energy of college sports with the intensity of NBA preseason play. Local media and former players have already begun to highlight the event as a homecoming for KJ Simpson, who remains a beloved figure in Boulder.
Former Colorado standout KJ Simpson, who earned All‑Pac‑12 honors during his four‑year tenure with the Buffaloes from 2021 to 2024, will take the court for the exhibition. Drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, Simpson now operates under a two‑way contract with the Nuggets for the 2025‑26 season, having logged 56 games and posted career averages of 6.7 points, 2.8 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game.
The Nuggets’ preseason schedule stretches across the country, featuring games in Salt Lake City, Chicago, Los Angeles and a final matchup against the Lakers before the regular season begins. The Boulder contest will be the first of those road trips, continuing a tradition that last saw the team play a preseason game in Boulder back in 2015 against the Chicago Bulls.
Tickets for the Nuggets‑Jazz preseason game will be available to the general public starting Thursday, September 10, through the university’s official ticketing channels, offering fans a chance to witness a rare convergence of college nostalgia and professional basketball.