Former 6’9″ Drake University Commit Inks With Pokes
LARAMIE -- Simm-marten Saadi was on his way to Drake.
In fact, the 6-foot-9 freshman even signed the paperwork in late November.
The Bulldogs rolled through the regular season, won the Missouri Valley Conference tournament and toppled Mizzou in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. A narrow loss to Texas Tech followed.
So did a coaching change.
Ben McCollum pointed his car east on Interstate-80 and cruised 114 miles to Iowa City where he is the new bench boss.
Saadi asked for his release.
Sundance Wicks pounced.
The Estonia native, who played his high school basketball at the famed Sunrise Christian Academy outside Wichita, Kansas, announced Friday he has signed with Wyoming, becoming the 12th newcomer this offseason.
https://x.com/SimmSaadi
Saadi joins fellow rookie forward Gavin Gores (6'10", 210, Cumberland, Wisconsin) and Neil Summers (6'9", 240, Laramie, Wyo.), along with guard Nasir Meyer (6'7", 185, Los Angeles, Calif.)
The Cowboys also inked transfer guards Leland Walker (Florida Atlantic), Jared Harris (Memphis), DaMarion Dennis (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi), Adam Harakow (Lake Superior State), Uriyah Rojas (Chaffey College) and Khaden Bennett (Quinnipiac).
Big man Kiani Saxon will join returners Matija Belic and Abou Magassa in the front court.
Walk-on guards Garrett Spielman and Talan Taylor are also currently on the roster.
MORE UW HOOPS NEWS VIA 7220SPORTS:
* Former four-star guard from FAU signs with Wyoming
* Wyoming inks 6'8" forward Kiani Saxon from MWSU
* Cowboys will face South Dakota State at Sanford Pentagon
* Wicks, Cowboys add sixth transfer this offseason
* Former Cowboy Chris McMillian added to Wyoming coaching staff
* Cowboys sign four-star shooting guard from Memphis
* Chris Thomas named assistant coach for UW basketball
* Cowboys head to great white north to find latest transfer
* Wyoming adds another combo guard to the fold
* Wicks announces addition of Will Martin to coaching staff
Alex Taylor of WyoSports is reporting that forward Buddy Hammer Jr. (Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College), Wicks' first transfer commit of the spring cycle, was forced to "back out of his commitment."
Saadi, who also received an offer from Bradley, averaged 14 points per game during his final prep season and added seven rebounds and two assists. He also suited up for the Estonia National Team, netting nearly 12 points and seven boards an outing during the u20 European Championship.
Drake's 31-4 run last season was aided by a pair of former Cowboys, forward Cam Manyawu and Kael Combs, who both followed McCollum to Iowa. That freshman duo tagged along with Jeff Linder's former assistant Bryston Williams to Des Moines.
The Bulldogs' miracle run came to an end at the hands of Linder, who is now an assistant on the Red Raiders' staff.
Wyoming lost six players to the transfer portal this offseason, including leading scorer Obi Agbim, who is now at Baylor. Fellow guards Nigle Cook, Levi Brown and AJ Wills (Hofstra) are also gone. So are forwards Scottie Ebube and Oleg Kojenets (Stony Brook).
University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players
Gallery Credit: 7220Sports.com
- University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players