Bassett Bros Unite! Colorado Rapids Sign Homegrown Sam Bassett!

COMMERCE CITY – Littleton, Colorado native, and younger brother of Cole Bassett, Sam Bassett has signed a Homegrown contract with Colorado Rapids the club announced Tuesday morning.

Sam played four years with the University of Denver Pioneers. He was an All-American and finalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy. Bassett helped lead to DU to the Final Four, losing in the semifinal to eventual national champion Vermont. He scored a goal and converted his penalty in the shootout in that match. Top Drawer Soccer named him their Player of the Year.

Multiple NCAA sources have suggested to Burgundy Wave that had Bassett been eligible for the SuperDraft, he could have been taken first overall.

Homegrown Sam Bassett will be on a one-year deal with three team options, for 2026, 2027, and 2028. His salary is likely just under $100,000 or so.

This is similar to the contract structures for Sebastian Anderson and Oli Larraz. Both parties are looking for the other to prove themselves. Bassett will hopefully show that he contribute to the first team in short order. The club will need to have a role for him beyond unused substitute, similar to Anderson this past year.

Colorado now has three Homegrowns who were all No. 10s at the academy level in both Bassetts and Larraz. Cole the Elder has finally found his highest level position as a box-to-box midfielder in a double pivot. Larraz has also played in a deeper role.

President Pádraig Smith said ‘Sam’s skill set and his performances, both in our academy and more recently at the University of Denver have shown he is ready to take this next step in his career. Our commitment to developing the best young talent from Colorado remains steadfast, and Sam exhibits the character and mentality we want representing our badge and our community. We look forward to his continued development in the years ahead.’

‘He is a talented, box-to-box midfielder who has so many of the qualities we look for, including his competitive edge and final third quality,” added Head Coach Chris Armas.

Younger brother Sam could find himself being Djordje Mihailović‘s understudy. The Pids ran out of gas last October with many of their players top of the league in minutes played. Bassett playing 500-ish first team minutes will help keep Mihailović fresh. Between this news, nine SuperDraft picks, some center backs, and hopefully another signing or two, the Rapids will have much better depth in 2025.

Monday was the first day players could report for preseason. The first official day of preseason for the club is this Saturday January 11. Bassett will surely be putting on MLS training gear before then.

Also yesterday Zack Steffen got called up for the USMNT January camp. They have games against Venezuela and Costa Rica on January 18 and 22. Steffen will likely miss a few weeks in Mexico with the Rapids and one friendly. Hopefully he gets some game time given he got hurt before the first friendly under Mauricio Pochettino last autumn.

Photo Credit: University of Denver

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