Welcome to Wyoming Hoops: Madden Smiley
LARAMIE -- "We recruit winners."
Sundance Wicks said that, referring to landing high school standouts Madden Smiley and Chris Pohl in the offseason. The latter could soon be a menace in the paint for the Wyoming basketball program. The other, leading the charge and manning the point.
This third-year bench boss wasn't just talking about success at the prep level, though, when he made that statement. Can't forget the NCAA Transfer Portal, which has been more of a foe to this university than a friend in years past.
Did Wicks flip the script in 2026-27?
It appears so.
The Cowboys return 50% of their offensive production from an 18-win squad that punched its ticket to the postseason for the first time since March of 2022. Promising freshmen Naz Meyer (12.9 ppg) and Gavin Gores (7.3) bought into the mission. So did transfer guards Uriyah Rojas (6.2) and Khaden Bennett (10.2). Those four, along with redshirt rookie Neil Summers, are all back in the mix this fall.
That group also accounted for 15.1 of the team's 35.5 boards per game. Meyer and Bennett each averaged nearly five a night.
Damarion Dennis and his 11.2 points an outing are gone. He's now at Texas Tech, lacing them up for former UW head coach Jeff Linder. Forwards Simm-Marten Saadi (Central Arkansas) and Abou Magassa (UNC Asheville) changed addresses, too. Adam Harakow (Western Michigan) and Jared Harris (Prairie View A&M) also entered free agency.
Outside of Dennis' production, the other four combined to net just 16.4 points per contest.
Wyoming lost its leading scorer, Leland Walker (13.5 ppg), along with Kiani Saxon and Matija Belic to graduation. That trio averaged 21 a game.
Let's meet the 10 new faces on this roster:
NAME | Madden Smiley
YEAR | Freshman
HT/WT | 6' 4", 180
HOMETOWN | Windsor, Colo.
POSITION | Guard
JERSEY NUMBER | 5
PREVIOUS SCHOOL | Windsor High School
YEARS OF ELIGIBILITY | Five
NOTABLE | Madden Smiley is a two-time 5A Player of the Year in the state of Colorado. Enough said, right? We'll keep going. The dynamic guard, who is the son of former Sheridan College and current Northern Colorado head coach, Steve Smiley, averaged more than 24 points per game last season. He also snagged eight rebounds and dished out three helpers a night, too. Smiley connecting on an eye-popping 60.1% of his shots from the field. He helped lead Windsor High School to its first state championship since 1924 during his junior campaign. Vermont, Colgate, Loyola Maryland and Southern Utah, among others, offered Smiley. Notice any local schools missing on this list? We've all seen that play out before. Josh Adams, anyone? Smiley committed to the Cowboys last September.
QUOTABLE | "He's a winner. We recruit winners. That's what Madden is ... We recruit guys who know how to win, who have a winning background and who've played in big games. Madden is a stud, man. He's a stud. And I don't say that because he's my godson. I wouldn't recruit him if I didn't think he was good enough, but he's good enough, man. And he's a local kid that's going to make an impact, immediately," -- Wyoming head coach Sundance Wicks on the recruitment of Madden Smiley.
MORE UW HOOPS NEWS VIA 7220SPORTS:
* 'Extremely Underrated': Wyoming's Basketball Staff Remains Intact
* What Heights Can Wyoming Basketball Program Reach This Season?
* Rojas' Under-The-Radar Re-Commitment 'Huge' For Pokes
* Wicks, Cowboys Sign Kansas 5A Player of the Year
* Pokes Add Another Big Man to 2026-27 Hoops Roster
* Cowboys Add Length at Guard Spot, Sign Former Gold Medalist
* Wick's Cowboys Sign 6-11 Forward to Frontcourt
* Cowboys Land 6-9 Stretch Forward in Transfer Portal
* Wyoming Adds Shooting Guard From Wazzu Via Transfer Portal
* 2026 Wyoming Basketball Transfer Portal Tracker
Just The Facts: Size Doesn't Matter For Wyoming's War Memorial Stadium
Gallery Credit: 7220Sports.com
- Just The Facts: Size Doesn't Matter For Wyoming's War Memorial Stadium