LARAMIE – Neil Summers doesn't remember the Cowgirls' rousing victory in the 2007 WNIT championship game, but he was a baby face in the crowd of 15,462 at the Arena-Auditorium.
 
"My mom always tells me she took me to the girls WNIT championship, and I had the big earphones on so I couldn't hear anything," Summers reflected when asked about his earliest Wyoming basketball memories. "I remember watching Larry Nance Jr. and Josh Adams and Alan Herndon play. Just watching those guys, and (Graham) Ike even, I've been to just about every single home game I can for my whole life."
 
Now the former Laramie High School star is a freshman on the 2025-26 Cowboys.
 
Sundance Wicks made Summers' childhood dream a reality by being the first Division I head coach to offer the homegrown prospect a scholarship during the recruiting process.
 
"I was at a loss for words," Summer said of the opportunity to play at UW. "I freaked out and was checking my phone like is this really him calling me right now, what is going on? I was so excited, and I was hanging out with my friends. I went, yo, Wyoming just offered me, and we were jumping up and down screaming. It was one of the best feelings of my life."
 
The 6-foot-9, 240-pound Summers was named the Wyoming Gatorade Player of the Year after averaging 16.7 points and 9.6 rebounds as a senior while leading LHS to the Class 4A state title game for the second consecutive season.
 
Summers finished his prep career with a school record of 1,405 points and a state record 990 rebounds.
 
So, how difficult has the transition from Plainsman to Poke been?
 
"I'll tell you what, he's not making it look that hard," Wicks said. "This is what I loved about him is you can't teach feel."
 
Summers has a natural feel for the game. His ability to move and shoot well as a big man has been on display throughout the Cowboys' summer workouts.
 
"Neil has led us in certain categories offensively for efficiencies and points per shot out of the post and offensive rebounds," Wicks said. "He just has a way of wedging his body and using his body. Sometimes the gift or the blessing of not having a 40-inch vertical is the fact that you know how to play in space, manipulate space with your body and your mind.
 
"That's the gift of Neil. He has exceeded my expectations."
 
Adjusting to Mountain West-level basketball preparation is more difficult than Summers is making it look so far. Jimmy Edel's strength and conditioning program is one of the best in the sport.
 
"We've had lift before practice just about every day this summer and at the start we had conditioning before practice," Summers said of the difference between high school and college basketball. "At the start I thought, this is crazy. And there's obviously been some welcome to DI moments, but I think it has been good for me."
 
Summers said it's too early to know what his role on the team will be as a true freshman. Off the court, he is the local tour guide on a team with players from six different states and six different countries.
 
"I've kind of become the go-to guy if somebody needs a suggestion. Everybody is like, what are we going to do? I say, we've got to go to Cheyenne Frontier Days. They're like, what is Cheyenne Frontier Days?" Summers said. "It has been to cool to show everyone around. I really love this city. I've lived here and I like it a lot and for somebody to come from a huge city and not know what it's like to live in a small town, I can help them have fun and not get in trouble. There's lots of things to do, you've just got to be in the right spot."
 
Summers is exactly where he has always wanted to be – wearing the brown and gold on the floor of the Arena-Auditorium.
 
"It's pretty special," he said. "I don't think I always realized it, but when I'm thinking about it it's pretty crazy how much pride I have for this state.
 
"This should mean something. It's very special to me."
 
(Editor's note: This is the ninth in a 12-part series introducing fans to UW's new men's basketball players. Next up: Talan Taylor).
 
If you are interested in learning more about NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) or would like to support our student-athletes, please visit 1wyo.org. 1WYO was created out of Wyoming's culture of neighbor helping neighbor. The mission is to promote and strengthen local charitable organizations and develop Wyoming student athletes. 
 
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