LAS VEGAS -- He has a wife, a child and has put on 30 pounds since graduating high school.

"I am the old man," the 23-year-old senior says with a smile.

And one of the Mountain West Conference's best players in what could arguably be a huge season with all of the returning talent.

By a panel of coaches and media, it was announced at Tuesday's MWC media day that Cummard is one of the top two returning players. He shared the selection with UNLV guard Wink Adams, who's also a senior.

In fact, the top five returners are all in their final year. It was no easy selection process, as 37 of 45 starters return from a year ago.

Although Cummard's stature was cemented last season. He shared the league's POY award with J.R. Giddens of New Mexico, who went on to be a first-round draft pick of the Boston Celtics.

And while coaches will defend their own players, or sometimes use political correctness to praise any of the five on the list, there's just something about the 6-foot-7, 185-pound Cummard that brings a smile to just about every coach's face.

"I know he plays for BYU, but he's my kind of guy," Utah coach Jim Boylen said. "I have to give him credit for the way he competes. His motor never stops running."

What BYU coach Dave Rose has is a player who has met expectations at the college level. Rose appreciated how a 155-pound high school star could spread his enthusiasm and competitive spirit to whoever was on his team. The only thing Cummard hasn't done, to his dismay, is win an NCAA tournament game.

He's lost both tries but likes his chances this year. BYU was picked by media and coaches to finish second behind UNLV.

Cummard averaged a team-best 15.8 points per game along with 6.3 rebounds last year. He'll likely be counted on to do more as one of just two returning starters (junior forward Jonathan Tavernari). The Cougars lost center Trent Plaisted a year early to the pros, which will change BYU's distribution in points and touches. That means more Cummard. There were times last year when folks inside the program thought he was too unselfish.

Cummard quips that there's times he'd like to be the young guy, goofing around and laid back like the old days. But he has responsibilities, including a wife and child. And on the court, he'll have to lead in more than the stat sheet.

BYU has six newcomers who've not played a game at the Division I level. All are capable of playing, Rose said, but they'll need grooming. Rose believes Cummard's best quality is that he makes players around him better: "Even if he's struggling with something, we're a better team just to have him on the floor."

Asked independently, with a promise that their vote wouldn't end up public, five of the eight coaches besides Rose thought Cummard was the toughest of the MWC's top five returning players (see chart) to prepare for. Not nearly as skinny as a few years ago, he's put on muscle and an aura of invincibility at times to go with a insatiable desire to do what it takes to win. BYU has won the last two MWC regular-season titles.

"He's a coach's delight," Fisher said Tuesday. "He does not appear to have any inflated ego...he's selfless and plays with a passion that you hope all of your good players will have. Cummard is hard to keep off the glass, away from the loose ball. You wonder how he can do stuff like that time and time and time again. And he does it, all the time."

Not bad for an old man.