Deion and Shedeur Sanders push back against criticisms aimed at Colorado’s program in “Undisputed,” while over in men’s Oklahoma basketball, there’s a continuous struggle to rebuild the roster for the upcoming 2024-25 season.
The Sooners were already short seven players from the previous season’s roster and have only managed to bring in three transfers and two 2024 recruits to offset these losses.
One might wonder if there’s something fundamentally wrong with the Oklahoma men’s program. We’ve highlighted the impact of the transfer portal on college sports, particularly in basketball, where stability seems increasingly elusive.
In the last two months since their last game of the 2023-24 season, the Sooners have seen eight players depart, creating a recurring challenge for Coach Porter Moser, who’s entering his fourth season in Norman. This offseason’s departures, including standout players like Kaden Cooper, seem particularly severe and might not be over yet.
Cooper, a highly regarded guard, recently announced his departure. Hailing from Ada, Oklahoma, he was a key recruit for Moser, turning down offers from major programs like Kansas, UConn, Alabama, Texas, and LSU to join Oklahoma.
Despite his potential, Cooper played sparingly last season, averaging 1.5 points in 15 games. Initially expected to have a more significant role next season, he’s now set to play elsewhere.
Moser has had to deal with replacing six or seven players each season due to various reasons like graduation or the transfer portal. While some departures are due to eligibility limits, others, like Javian McCollum and John Hugely IV, opted for transfers after just one season at Oklahoma.
The team has signed three transfers for the upcoming season, but they all have only one year of eligibility left. Consequently, despite new additions, the Sooners are still at a net loss of five players. With only one returning starter, Sam Godwin, from last season’s roster, the outlook isn’t positive as they prepare for the move to the SEC in 2024-25.
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