Wicks signs first four incoming transfers at UW
May 24—University of Wyoming men's basketball coach Sundance Wicks announced the addition of four incoming transfers to the program Wednesday afternoon.
The group includes a recommitment from former signee Obi Agbim out of NCAA Division II Fort Lewis College in Colorado, who decommitted from UW following former coach Jeff Linder's departure to Texas Tech. The three other signees include 6-foot-10, 275-pound center Scottie Ebube, 6-9 forward Cole Henry and 6-6 guard Jordan Nesbitt.
"We had four visits in five days, and (we) had to go 4-for-4," Wicks said in a news release. "We got what we needed and added some great players to a great group of guys we already had on this roster.
We got two big guys that are very versatile, and it is hard to find players like that right now in college basketball. Every one of our big guys on this roster brings something different to the table, and you must be ready to play a different style of play and brand of basketball based on your opponent. I think having depth at the bookend spots is massive.
"It was also crucial to get a playmaking guard in Obi and playmaking wing like Jordan Nesbitt. At all positions 1-5, you want to be balanced and have depth at those spots. For our first initial class, this group really ties this team together with the talent we have coming back, and we couldn't be more excited to get our guys in the gym."
Ebube comes to UW from Southern Illinois with two years of eligibility remaining. He averaged 6.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 0.6 blocks in 31 games last season while shooting 69% from the field for the Salukis.
"We call him, 'Scottie Boom,' because he will bring the boom back to the Dome of Doom," Wicks said. "He is well versed in playing a physical, pressure paint kind of play. We call him a pressure post, because he puts pressure on the rim, puts pressure on the rim in transition and pressure on the rim in duck-ins, leg whips and seals.
"He will be a formidable force down low. He has a great head for the game, a great heart for contact and has elite hands. When you find a guy who likes to play physical, it is really a diamond in the rough. We are fortunate to have a guy that can anchor us down low and give us the physicality in the post."
Henry joins the Cowboys out of Northern Iowa with one year of eligibility remaining. He averaged 3.0 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists last season. He comes to Laramie with plenty of experience having played in 104 career games.
"Cole's weapon is his passing," Wicks said. "In his translation to 40 minutes, he would average nearly six assists per game. He is a point-post. You can play him in a Princeton offense (or) a five-out delay and he handles it like a guard. He makes decisions like an elite guard in passing situations.
"We will play a brand of basketball based on the opponents we are playing and try to create advantages, and Cole is a player that fits that role. He is a relentless competitor, and he is as tough as nails. He is Wyoming through and through, and he will fit very well here in Laramie."
Nesbitt has one season of eligibility remaining and comes to UW from Hampton University. He averaged 10.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists as a senior last year.
Nesbitt started his college career at Memphis as a freshman before transferring to Saint Louis then Hampton. He has scored over 1,000 points and has more than 250 assists while nearing 500 rebounds for his career.
"Jordan has everything you are looking for in a high-major player," Wicks said. "He has the talent (and) the production, and we are going to help make Jordan a very efficient player. This is a guy that will surprise a lot of people, and he is truly a hidden gem.
"Fans are going to see a guy that loves the game of basketball and is an alpha competitor. He is also a phenomenal teammate, and his energy is outstanding. You can't help but smile and laugh when you are around him because he brings an infectious energy to everything he does."
Agbim rounds out Wicks' first four signings after recommitting to the Cowboys earlier this week. The 6-3, 180-pound guard spent two seasons at Fort Lewis, one at Northeastern Junior College and one at NCAA Division II Metro State.
Agbim led Fort Lewis to 58 wins over the past two seasons. He earned first team All-South Central Region and first team All-RMAC honors last year. He averaged 15.5 points per game along with four rebounds and 2.9 assists.
"When you are looking for a lead guard, you have to have somebody that has played at a high level for a very long time, and over the last two seasons, he has won at a high level," Wicks said. "He is a winner, and you have to have guys from winning programs that know how to win.
"He has a great spirit that will connect him with his teammates. He has the ability to create easy buckets for his teammates and score on all three levels. He was one of the best defensive players in the nation last season in the pick-and-roll defense. He is an elite on-ball defender, and that has a high correlation to winning basketball games."
