Cummard didn't even want to visit the campus. The Mesa, Ariz., native was set on playing in his own backyard at Arizona State.

But Cummard's family convinced him to at least take a look at things in Provo, and once he stepped into the Marriott Center, his outlook changed.

"It was always going to be ASU," Cummard said. "But I came up here and really liked it and decided it was the right place for me. It felt like the right fit."

ASU's loss was BYU's big gain and the relationship has been mutually beneficial.

As the Cougars prepare for the second half of Mountain West Conference play, they are in sole possession of first place and Cummard is the leading contender for conference player of the year.

BYU's stat-filler and top perimeter defender, the 6-foot-7, 185-pound junior guard ranks in the top 10 of seven statistical categories in conference and has drawn continuous praise from opposing coaches with many suggesting the NBA is in his future.

"A couple of years ago, he did a little bit of everything," TCU coach Neil Dougherty said. "Now, he does a lot of everything. If we all had one, we'd all be a much better team."

The youngest of six boys, Cummard developed his intense competitive nature as a means of protection and inclusion.

He initially wanted to play football, but his mother suggested against it because of a slight stature that earned her son the nickname "Leethiopia."

Cummard turned his focus to basketball, and it turned into a healthy obsession. The gym rat was rarely without a ball in his hands growing up and kept the neighbors awake with his constant shooting.

He started three years at Mesa High and was the state's most highly recruited player entering his senior season.

Cummard's high school coach, Shawn Lynch, joked he should change the name on his mailbox to Cummard because of the amount of letters being sent.

"He could have had my voice mail too because that was filled every day with calls about Lee," Lynch said. "He was the most competitive kid I ever coached. But he was also a great team player. As talented as he was, he always put the team first and you don't always get that in high school, especially as high profile as Lee was."

UCLA's Ben Howland and Oregon's Ernie Kent were among the coaches to make home visits, which Cummard's mother, Cheryl, compared to scenes from the movie, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding."

"They would always come around dinner time, so we always served a meal, and if I was serving a meal, I would invite my boys and my brothers and sisters who all live around here," she said. "We would have like 40-50 people, and the coaches walked in a little shocked. But it didn't seem unusual to me."

After Cummard committed to BYU, soon-to-be-named head coach Dave Rose needed to fend off other programs again once Steve Cleveland resigned. But Rose flew to Mesa and convinced Cummard to stay.

"He has been really loyal to us and it's paid off," Rose said. "I think he came in with a lot of maybe unrealistic expectations for a younger player, but we have always had the confidence that this was the Lee Cummard that we recruited."

As humble as Cummard is about his game, the same can't be said of his physique. Every morning, the first thing he does before eating his bowl of cereal is walk over to the large mirror and look at himself.

"He loves his body," his wife, Sarah said. "He thinks he has the most rocking body in the whole world and the biggest muscles. He has told me a few times he has the best body on campus, so he is definitely not lacking for confidence there."

Cummard, 22, has a deal with BYU strength coach Justin McClure if Cummard tips the scales at 190 pounds, he never has to wear a shirt in the weight room again.

"I am real close," Cummard said with a sly grin. "Maybe this summer, but I have never been afraid to show off the guns."

Cummard's biggest priority is having the strength to carry BYU to another conference title and the NCAA first-round win that has eluded the program the last 15 years.

Although he wishes his family could witness more of the memories, Cummard never regrets leaving Arizona for BYU.

"It's been good for me, and not just basketball wise," he said. "I was able to get away and be my own man, and it was good for my wife and I to do our thing and make new friends. I am really happy."

rpotkey@sltrib.com