Wyoming’s Hoops Rebuild is Underway With First Spring Signing

LARAMIE -- The rebuild is underway.

Buddy Hammer, a 6-foot-7 forward who spent last season at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, announced Monday on social media he has committed to Wyoming.

He has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

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Six Cowboys have entered the NCAA Transfer Portal since the spring window opened on March 24, including a pair of big men Scottie Ebube and Oleg Kojenets.

Only two scholarship players remain -- forwards Matija Belic and Abou Magassa -- and Sundance Wicks and his staff have added three high school prospects:  Forwards Gavin Gores (6'10", 210, Cumberland, Wisconsin) and Neil Summers (6'9", 240, Laramie, Wyo.) and guard Nasir Meyer (6'7", 185, Los Angeles, Calif.).

Freshman walk-on Garrett Spielman of Sheridan is also currently on the roster.

Wicks was prepared for a busy offseason.

"We're so much further ahead of the game right now than we were last year because you have a chance to see what's coming down the pipe," the Cowboys' first-year head coach said moments after his team was eliminated in the opening round of the Mountain West Tournament. "I don't think you can ever be fully prepared because, as you all well know, in this world, you're going to lose guys that you thought were going to stay, and guys that you thought were going to go are going to stay. Things are going to happen randomly throughout the course of the year."

Hammer, a Westville, Okla., native, averaged 13 points and 10 rebounds last fall for the Golden Norsemen en route to earning NJCAA First Team All-Region II honors. He shot 54% from the field and 43% (13-of-30) from beyond the arc.

His best outing came in a January meeting against Western Oklahoma State College when Hammer netted 27 points on 11-of-19 shooting. The sophomore, who began his collegiate career at Connors State (Okla.), drilled a season-high three triples and snagged five steals in the win.

Hammer averaged 25 points a night during his final prep season. He added 11 boards and three assists and was named an Honorable Mention on the All-Tulsa World team. His postseason accolades also included: Big 8 Conference Player of the Year, A Native All-State Game nod and an OCA East All-State Selection.

He was also the OCA Region 3 Player of the Year and was the 3A MVP in the OBCA All-Star Game.

"I would love for Wyoming to continue to be a transformational place where guys come in and become men," Wicks said in Las Vegas. "Young men become grown men and they can go lead lives. I still believe in that ideology."

Wicks posted twice on social media in the last two days, insinuating another player aside from Hammer has committed to the program.

The current portal will close April 22.

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