LAS VEGAS – There are head coaches in the Mountain West that cringe when stepping into different conference rooms at basketball media day for social media posts or promos or even photos.
 
And then there is Sundance Wicks.
 
Wyoming's second-year head coach takes advantage of every television hit, podcast appearance and print media interview to promote his program.
 
The two Cowboys accompanying Wicks on the trip, senior forward Matija Belic and senior point guard Leland Walker, did their best to keep up.
 
"He loves it out here. I can see he's the man of the show," Belic said. "It's great to be around that guy on a daily basis. The level of energy that he has and brings to the community, to the basketball team and to all of us is great."
 
Walker, a graduate transfer who has scored 1,125 points with 375 assists and 99 steals in 101 career Division I games, didn't know what to expect before Thursday's event at Resorts World Las Vegas began. He was thankful to be asked to ride for the brand by the end of a long day in the spotlight.
 
"It means he has a lot of trust in me to bring me here my first year," Leland said. "This is my first time doing something like this and it means a lot."
 
Wicks was UW's star at MW media day a year ago before his first season leading the program. The Wyoming native is more confident these Cowboys will make noise on the court during the regular season and when they return to Las Vegas for the conference tournament in March.
 
During last Saturday's 69-65 exhibition win over Northern Colorado in his hometown of Gillette, Wicks' confidence in the Pokes grew in the sold-out Pronghorn Center.
 
"I just thought their effort was right. They played so hard," Wicks said. "We weren't perfect by any means but the consistent effort and how hard we played gave me hope that this team can play the way we want them to. We can push the pace, we can be relentless, we don't have to be the biggest team because we can be the scrappiest team.
 
"I learned that we have a little bit of toughness and a little bit of grit and a lot of potential. I don't like that word, but we have the potential to be a really good team."
 
Wicks and his staff had to "speed date" with prospects after he was hired to replace Jeff Linder in May 2024. The 2025-26 roster, which includes 12 newcomers, was put together over the course of a full high school and portal recruiting cycle.
 
Belic and sophomore forward Abou Magassa are the two foundational returning pieces of the puzzle Wicks is putting together.
 
UW was picked ninth in the preseason media poll, but expectations in the locker room are much higher.
 
"He saw what being a head coach in the Mountain West was like. I feel like he can adjust and he liked the way he picked this team," Belic said of Wicks. "After the (UNC) game we were excited because of the win but we also saw we didn't play up to our level, which is fine because it was the first game. We're still getting to know each other on the court, and I feel our ceiling is pretty high and that's a good thing for us."
 
Belic is one of the faces of UW basketball in only his second season in Laramie. Same with Walker in his first and only season wearing the brown and gold.
 
But the duo will be Cowboys for life after they try to help retore the program's winning tradition.
 
"I think it's a memory that they're going to have for a long time," Wicks said. "These guys have paid their dues in Division I athletics for four years and to never experience this would be a shame in a lot of ways for guys that have sacrificed and given. Matija is an integral part of what we're doing and so I Leland.
 
"These are magical moments; these are memories we get to have as coach and player and share some quality time in Vegas together for 24 hours and take a little bit of a break from the hustle and bustle that's going on. It means a lot to me that these two represent our program at such a high level."

UW will play its final exhibition game against the College of Idaho at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Arena-Auditorium. Admission is free.
 
Follow Ryan for more stories on Wyoming athletics on X at @By_RyanThorburn on Facebook at Wyoming Athletics and Instagram at wyoathletics. Also follow him at Pokes Insider at Gowyo.com/pokesinsider.
 
Don't just watch the game — change it. The most powerful way to support University of Wyoming student-athletes is by joining the Cowboy Joe Club. Your membership fuels scholarships, provides essential resources, and helps Cowboys and Cowgirls succeed both in the classroom and in competition. Your gift is not just support — it's access. As a member, you'll enjoy exclusive benefits that bring you closer to the action than ever before. Be a champion. Join our team. Visit CowboyJoeClub.com or call 307-766-6242.