Wyoming Cowboys star Hunter Maldonado returning for super senior season

After going via the NBA draft analysis course of and understanding for a number of groups, Maldonado will return to Wyoming for the 2022-23 season as a brilliant senior.

The deadline for gamers to withdraw from the NBA draft and retain their eligibility is June 1.

The 6-foot-7 Maldonado made the announcement with a UW spotlight video submit to social media that completed with three easy phrases: “Yet one more 12 months.”

Maldonado earned all-Mountain West first-team honors final 12 months by averaging 18.5 factors, 6.3 assists and 5.7 rebounds whereas main the Pokes to the NCAA Match for the primary time in seven years.

Through the MW Match quarterfinal in Las Vegas, Maldonado handed Sean Dent to turn out to be this system’s all-time chief in assists. Towards San Diego State, he recorded the third triple-double in UW historical past.

Maldonado is at present ninth on the Cowboys’ all-time scoring checklist with 1,701 factors.

After UW’s disappointing 66-58 loss to Indiana within the First 4, head coach Jeff Linder stated Maldonado’s recreation would “proceed to develop” if he returned for an additional season.

“I do suppose that if he did come again, we’ve bought plenty of the precise items and may very well be actually particular once more,” Linder stated.

The Cowboys completed 25-9 total as Maldonado completed with a team-high 21 factors and 10 pricey turnovers in his first NCAA Match recreation.

“Maldo, for essentially the most half, picked (Indiana) aside,” Linder stated. “My factor with Maldo all 12 months lengthy, when he tries to play too quick, he’s not close to as efficient as a participant. That’s when plenty of his turnovers come into play. I used to be like, ‘They couldn’t cease you simply enjoying sluggish, simply proceed to again him down.’

“Nevertheless it’s straightforward to say as a coach, it’s one other factor while you really need to go on the market and do it and also you’ve bought Massive Ten-level athletes guarding you, one of many higher groups defensively within the Massive Ten.”

Maldonado and fellow all-MW first teamer Graham Ike can have extra assist subsequent season with the addition of USC transfers Ethan Anderson and Max Agbonkpolo and UCLA switch Jake Kyman.

Maldonado confirmed off his versatility by transferring from ahead to operating the offense after 2021 MW freshman of the 12 months Marcus Williams transferred to Texas A&M.

The addition of Anderson, a real level guard who averaged 5.5 factors and 4.2 assists final season for the Trojans, will take some weight off Maldonado’s shoulders.

“He’s a man that basically takes the stress off of Maldo and people different guys when it comes to his capability to protect the smaller guards in our league,” Linder stated of Anderson. “When it’s a must to go up towards a Jaelen Home at New Mexico, he’s a man that may actually sit down and guard smaller guards. It simply actually takes the stress off of us and permits us to be that significantly better defensively.”

Maldonado has been understanding together with his UW teammates because the finish of the season.

Ike averaged 19.5 factors and 9.6 rebounds throughout his first full season with the Pokes after being eased in as a freshman coming off a highschool knee harm.

Guards Xavier DuSell (7.5 ppg, 54 made 3-pointers), Brendan Wenzel (5.2 ppg, 38 made 3s) and Noah Reynolds (2.9 ppg) additionally return.

Beginning ahead Jeremiah Oden (7.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg) and tremendous senior Hunter Thompson (2.7 ppg, 25 made 3s) will compete with Agbonkpolo (7.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg) and Kyman (3.6 ppg) for minutes.

Kenny Foster can be anticipated to return to the rotation after being restricted to 9 video games final season because of accidents and sickness. Nate Barnhart, a 7-footer with 3-point vary, redshirted final season.

UW signed 6-10 ahead Caden Powell, a three-star prospect from Waco, Texas, within the 2022 recruiting class.

“It’s going to permit us to play loads quicker, much more open and free,” Linder stated of the improved depth. “It’ll take some stress off of Maldo and Graham simply when it comes to the quantity of possessions and the utilization charges these guys had. Because the season went on it type of wore them down.”

Drake Jeffries, the sharpshooting senior guard who averaged 10.3 factors and shot 40.9% on 3s as a senior, is popping professional.

Ben Bowen, the son of former Denver Nuggets standout Ryan Bowen, transferred to the College of Denver. Backup large man Eoin Nelson and backup level guard Deng additionally entered the portal.

The trio of transfers averaged a mixed 1.7 factors and 1.6 rebounds final season.

“I informed our guys, these empty seats, it’s my job to fill them with the most effective gamers we will presumably get,” Linder stated final month after signing the three Pac-12 transfers to improve the expertise degree on the roster. “That’s what we did.”