Grad transfer Kiani Saxon is the Cowboys' new cultural connector

LARAMIE Sundance Wicks doesnt play favorites when it comes to his players.

The second-year University of Wyoming mens basketball coachs respect is earned through sweat.

But that doesnt mean Wicks doesnt have a preference.

Hes shown a consistent tendency to lean on guys who have an unrelenting work ethic and selflessness when it comes to the team.

He refers to those guys as, cultural connectors.

Cole Henry filled that role for the Cowboys last season.

While he averaged just 6.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game, his contributions went far beyond the stat sheet.

He played through a slew of injuries during his lone season at UW, which was a brand of toughness Wicks wants to see more of going forward.

Following Henrys graduation, Wicks knew that role needed to be filled.

Cue Kiani Saxon.

In my recruiting, (Wicks) brought (Henry) up and said, Cole was (recruited as) a locker room guy, as well.

He didnt know if he was going to play.

He just wanted to be here for the guys, Saxon told WyoSports on Tuesday.

I had that worry, too, since I was also a Division II player.

Im pretty humble.

...

I told (Wicks), Look coach, Im going to do whatever the team needs, and he said, Youre going to play this year.

Wicks recruiting pitch was enough for Saxon to sign with the Cowboys.

His former head coach at Missouri Western, Will Martin, made the move with him after being hired as an assistant coach on Wicks staff this offseason.

What better way to end his career than running it back with Martin? Anyone that knows coach Will knows that he just exhorts energy like coach Wicks does, Saxon said.

Hes just a people person, man.

Anyone that you talk to in the community that knows coach Will knows that hes going to get the best out of everyone.

Whether that means being friendly in the community, or coming in here and being not so friendly to us on the court, he just brings the best out of you.

So, it was a pretty easy choice when I got the call from him to get me out here.

Saxon is a 6-foot-8, 210-pound forward out of Auckland, New Zealand.

He spent the past two seasons at Missouri Western after starting his career at the junior-college level.

The graduate transfer averaged 7.2 points and 3.9 rebounds in 23.9 minutes during his time at Missouri Western.

He shot 54.2% from the field, and he has 61 career starts to his name.

Kiani is a great addition to our Cowboy culture, Wicks said in May.

The first thing we need to understand about Kiani is that he has been developed at a high level by coach Will Martin.

It is very easy to vet a young man when he comes from a coach you trust and a program that has had competitive excellence.

Cowboy fans will feel Cole Henry vibes when it comes to Kiani.

He has high feel, high skill and a high level of care.

He is the ultimate connector, and will be an easy plug-and-play guy for the Pokes.

Tough-minded winners are rare nowadays, and he is every bit of that.

Saxon isnt expecting to score in double figures every night.

His role is to drag the most out of himself and his teammates during the dog days of the season, which can be a grueling task playing in the Mountain West.

I pride myself on being a locker room guy, Saxon said.

...

I just try to do it all.

I try to get my teammates open.

Im not much of a crazy scorer.

Im not going to go out and score 30 points, but Im going to try to put my body on the line for my teammates, do whatever I can defensively, guard multiple positions, stretch the floor and shoot and make some 3s, as well.

Saxon brings experience to a relatively young Cowboys roster.

But being an upperclassman doesnt mean hes unwilling to learn from his new teammates throughout the year.

Im the oldest guy in the group, so Im trying to bring that leadership, Saxon said.

Some of the other guys have never played in a college stadium before, so it might be scary sometimes when coach Wicks gets on their ass a little bit.

So, I just try to pick them up.

Also, even though Im one of the oldest, I still have a lot to learn.

Some of these younger guys can give me some info that way, too.

Im just soaking it all in and hoping I can give back to them in the same way they give to me.

Saxon sports a thick New Zealand accent, which serves as a reminder of how far his basketball career has taken him.

From his home country, to Louisiana, to Missouri and now Wyoming, Saxon hopes his latest stop will help propel him to a professional career on the court.

Initially, when I didnt know I had another year, I thought I was going to go pro, whether that be in Australia, New Zealand or over in Europe somewhere, Saxon said.

Then I got the opportunity here, and hopefully that improves my draft stock if I have a really good year.

Im going to work my butt off to continue to keep traveling the world with the game that has given me so much already.

When it comes to areas to improve in, Saxon admits U.S.

geography would be a good place to start.

I didnt really know where I was going when I came over, Saxon said with a laugh.

I knew I was going to Louisiana, and I knew that was kind of southern.

Everywhere Ive been going, Ive learned the states that are surrounding me.

Here, I know that Montanas above us, but I dont know whos below us..

This article has been shared from the original article on wyomingnews, here is the link to the original article.