Throughout the inordinate level of turbulence experienced by Evan Battey in a basketball career that already feels weathered beyond its years, his positive energy and an unflappable demeanor have been as impenetrable as the hulking shoulders sitting atop his sturdy 6-foot-8 frame.
When family drama and the immaturity typical of a young teenager conspired to convince his mother he needed a change of scenery when forced to repeat ninth grade, Battey gamely accepted the challenge and developed, on and off the floor, into one of the top prep post players in southern California.
When that repeating of ninth grade eventually cost him his eligibility as a senior in high school and again as a freshman at the University of Colorado, Battey shook off the respective setbacks, winning a prestigious character award for his off-court role as a senior in high school and dedicating himself to improving his conditioning for the Buffs when the NCAA sat him down for the 2017-18 season.