It's not quite as routine as Norm's entrance to The Bull and Finch Pub in "Cheers," but Brad Colbert doesn't have to say much when he steps inside Great Haircuts in Hyde Park.

Owner Jerry Lay, a salon veteran of over a half-century who takes new clients only by referral, knows to give Colbert the usual upkeep on the most popular mullet in Greater Cincinnati.

"He knows what to do," Colbert said. "Either an inch off the top and the back. He does it all with scissors. He cleans it up real nice."

Colbert, a Moeller High School product, went with the retro hairdo after his freshman season as a walk-on under Chris Mack in Louisville. When Mack left Louisville in the middle of Colbert's second season, he put in a call to Sean Miller at Xavier, who brought Colbert to the Musketeers in the same role with a hairstyle that survived the move back to his hometown.

"It's sort of me and my personality," Colbert said. "While I'm in college I want to keep it. It's a good fit. It resembles me."

'You gotta put the team first.'

Business in the front, party in the back might resemble Colbert perfectly.

At first glance, Colbert has spent his first four collegiate seasons as an all-business walk-on committed to doing the selfless, unseen work to benefit the team.

"We're getting to practice a half-hour early to learn all the opponent's plays. You gotta put the team first. It's not about you," Colbert said. "You have to play as hard as you can to make the team better."

When the overwhelming majority of your time on the court is in practice, it's hard to stand out on game day. That changed with one hairstyle.

"I thought growing the mullet would be a way to stand out. I do get recognized because of it," Colbert laughed.

Party in the back.

'A dream come true.'

Typically, walk-ons only see the court in mop-up duty of a lopsided win or loss in the final minutes of regulation. So even Colbert was surprised in February of last season when coach Sean Miller called him off the bench to sub in during the second half of Xavier's loss to Marquette in Milwaukee.

"I couldn't believe it," Colbert said.

More: Can Xavier make another Elite Eight? Here are 5 bold predictions for the Musketeers

One day later on his radio show, Miller ripped his players for a lack of effort in the loss and explained the decision to give Colbert minutes.

"The one thing I know about Colbert is, he's gonna give everything he has for the sake of the team," Miller said.

A number of factors led to Xavier's first losing season since 1996. Injuries down the stretch allowed Colbert to make his first collegiate field goal, a memorable 3-pointer that gave Xavier fans free Chick Fil-A in a win over DePaul. He also made a pair of buckets against UConn in the Big East Tournament.

It's a bittersweet feeling, but a well-deserved opportunity.

"When he (Miller) starting trusting me, it was like a dream come true. Everything I've worked for is to have that opportunity," Colbert said. "I just wish we could've been better as a team."

One more year with a scholarship

In the airport following Xavier's NIT loss to Georgia, Miller talked to Colbert about his plans for the 2024-25 season. Colbert had one year of eligibility remaining and was hoping to find a smaller program where he could get regular minutes.

More: Here's how to watch Xavier Musketeers basketball during 2024-25 season

A golf fan, Colbert originally thought he would spend his last year at California State University, Monterey Bay, a Division II school just 11 miles north of Pebble Beach.

However, his plans changed when Xavier grabbed seven players through the NCAA's transfer portal and Miller offered him the school's final basketball scholarship.

"Having an opportunity to get school for free is all I ever wanted," said Colbert, who is pursuing his MBA and plans to become a financial advisor. "This was too good of an opportunity to pass up."

'I have high expectations for this team.'

Colbert is one of six Xavier players that were around for the Sweet 16 run in 2023. The roster turnover from last year has provided a spark inside Cintas Center, anchored by veteran leaders in the locker room.

"These older guys realize better than freshmen what it takes in college basketball. They get in the gym, and they get in all the work to get better," Colbert said. "When (Miller) makes an analogy about how hard this is, they understand because they've done that. I have high expectations for this team."

Few people understand how fast things can change better than Colbert.

In high school, he bet on himself by leaving Moeller for Andrew Osborne Academy, a move that helped land him on a college roster. He thought he'd enjoy a fine career learning basketball under Mack while studying at the University of Louisville's College of Business.

He never thought he'd play real Big East minutes until last season, then considered sailing off into the college basketball sunset on the West Coast.

Instead, Colbert accepted Xavier's scholarship, ditched the walk-on label and became one of the few athletes to ever choose Cincinnati over California. He's here for one last ride.

Most importantly, he didn't need to find a new barber.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Xavier Musketeers' Brad Colbert always puts team first