Welcome to Wyoming Hoops: Kelan Gruver
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 | Kelan Gruver
YEAR | Freshman
HT/WT | 6' 3", 160
HOMETOWN | Bonner Springs, Kan.
POSITION | Guard
JERSEY NUMBER | 7
PREVIOUS SCHOOL | Bonner Springs High School
YEARS OF ELIGIBILITY | Five
NOTABLE | Kelan Gruver sank a go-ahead triple late in the fourth quarter of the 5A state title game inside Koch Arena, the same building Wyoming's season ended in last March. That clutch shot -- from near the logo -- helped halt back-to-back champion Kapaun Mt. Carmel's 44-game winning streak and gave the Braves their first banner since 1984. It also helped land Gruver the distinguished title of Kansas Player of the Year. Averaging 18 points per game didn't hurt, either. Not to mention five rebounds and nearly the same number of helpers. He also earned First-Team honors from the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association. The senior guard sank more than 45% of his shots from beyond the arc. He capped his career two points shy of 1,500 points while playing for his father, Drew Gruver, who was named the 2026 Sports in Kansas All-Classes Coach of the Year. Gruver, along with Jace Beidleman, are non-scholarship players, replacing Garrett Spielman (Michigan Tech) and Talon Taylor.
QUOTABLE | "I think there's a lot of guys out there that want to test their mettle at this level, want to be a part of it. They want to see what they're capable of," -- Wyoming head coach Sundance Wicks, speaking about walk-on's Kelan Gruver and Jace Beidleman.
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: Wyoming's 21 Mountain West conference titles and counting
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