Last Year: 15-17; Ninth (5-13) in the Big 12 Conference, No Postseason
Head Coach: Porter Moser (Third Year; 34-33 at Oklahoma with no NCAA Tournament appearances)
Projected Starting Lineup
| G Javian McCollum – 6’2″, 160 – Junior |
| G Milos Uzan – 6’4″, 193 – Sophomore |
| G Le’Tre Darthard – 6’4″, 190 – Senior (5th) |
| F Jalon Moore – 6’7″, 222 – Junior |
| F/C John Hugley IV – 6’10”, 275 – Junior |
Projected Starters’ 2022-23 Stats
Javian McCollum: 15.9 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 3.9 apg, 1.1 spg – 35.6% 3FG @ Siena
Milos Uzan: 7.6 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 3.0 apg, 0.8 spg – 40.8% 3FG
Le’Tre Darthard: 13.8 ppg, 3.5 ppg, 1.6 apg, 1.2 spg – 35.6% 3FG @ Utah Valley
Jalon Moore: 7.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 0.8 apg, 0.9 bpg – 43.1% FG @ Georgia Tech
John Hugley IV: 8.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 0.8 apg, 0.8 bpg – 47.2% FG in 8 games played at Pittsburgh
Experienced Reserves
| W Rivaldo Soares – 6’6″, 215 – Senior |
| W Otega Oweh – 6’5″, 215 – Sophomore |
| F Sam Godwin – 6’10”, 235 – Senior |
| F/C Yaya Keita – 6’9″, 240 – Sophomore |
Experienced Reserves’ 2022-23
Rivaldo Soares: 7.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.8 apg, 0.6 spg – 38.1% FG @ Oregon
Otega Oweh: 4.8 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 0.2 apg, 1.2 spg – 44.3% FG
Sam Godwin: 4.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 0.4 apg, 0.7 bpg – 66.0% FG
Yaya Keita: 1.2 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 0.3 spg – 33.3% FG @ Missouri in 2021-22
Freshmen
| W Kaden Cooper – 6’5″, 190 – Freshman – Consensus Top 100 recruit |
| F Jacolb Cole – 6’7″, 211 – Freshman – Consensus Top 200 recruit |
| F/C Luke Northweather – 6’11’, 245 – Redshirt Freshman |
Three seasons removed from his glorious run at Loyola Chicago, Porter Moser is at something of a crossroads. The now-Sooners head coach has game-planned well, recruited well, and his teams have, by and large, played well. Unfortunately, playing ‘well’ instead of ‘extraordinarily’ or ‘sensationally’ is only good enough to have won Oklahoma a 12-24 record in Big 12 play the past two seasons. Which is kind of wild when you think about it; and it is also the simple, grim reality of the best college basketball conference in America these past few years – and things aren’t getting any easier.
So what is a good coach to do in such a situation? Load up and give ’em hell, apparently. Oklahoma has added a pair of touted freshmen and one of the deepest and highly-rated transfer hauls of them all, and the Sooners appear to have the talent, on paper, to hang with just about anyone in their league.
The Sooners’ top three players from last season are gone to the pro’s or the Transfer Portal. Suddenly, Milos Uzan, a 4-star freshman one year ago, is an experienced hand in Moser’s backcourt. Uzan acquitted himself well overall in his rookie year, starting 24 games while dishing out 96 assists and shooting 40.8% from three. A long, tall lead guard, Uzan is smart with the ball and has a very good handle already. He utilized it to get to the cup for nearly as many attempts as he launched from deep as a freshman, and Uzan connected on 60.8% of his shots around the rim, per Bart Torvik. He averaged 9 points and 3.3 assists once moved into the starting lineup, and seemed to gain confidence in driving the ball and finding the rhythm on his floater in the lane. Defensively, Uzan has good but not great size and athleticism, though his long reach and anticipation help him to get in the way of passes and disrupt his man. For as many minutes as he was thrown to the wolves for, Uzan proved a heady and capable ballhandler who began to cut down on his giveaways as the year went on. With a year’s experience and offseason’s work, Uzan should be more comfortable this season as he looks to share the point duties with incoming Siena transfer Javian McCollum.
The two young guards should play off of one another well, as both can really shoot the ball and, once in the paint, hit a variety of fadeaways and floaters once the defense has committed. While Uzan has a large frame to which he’s begun to add strength, McCollum still looks a bit like he’d weigh around 150 pounds soaking wet. So long as their little point guard can stay healthy, though, the Sooners have gotten a good one. While Uzan is a good catch-and-shoot threat who also uses the dribble well, McCollum loves to explore off the bounce; using, refusing and manipulating screens and defenders to open up space for his own shot or dropping off a look for his buddies. Moser has spoken often of the need for his team to play faster, and has identified McCollum’s natural proclivity to play fast and move the ball quickly as a key skill that he wants the rest of his guys to emulate. “Javian is a dynamic guard who brings instant speed to our team,” said his new coach. Moser went on to say that he expects McCollum to be a “perfect addition to the roster as we aim to play more up tempo. He has a competitive edge and makes other players better.” McCollum shot a great deal more triples as a sophomore, and, though he was streaky, maintained a respectable percentage. Defensively, he is very quick and will create some havoc by darting around and getting his hands on passes which the opponent had thought safe. He’s going to have to prove that he can hold up physically, though, as opponents are going to try to isolate and run physical mismatches against the diminutive McCollum whenever possible. If the two young point guards can develop a nice symbiosis early on, the rest of OU’s pieces should begin to fit into place nicely.
John Hugley had a great season the last full time he was healthy and on the court for Pitt, and Moser is banking on a return to that All-ACC form from his talented new big man. Hugley is a throwback; a back-to-the-basket big who loves to catch the ball in the post and bully his man into a clean shot attempt. With good footwork, a nice sense of positioning and body control and soft mitts, Hugley is an attractive target for penetrating guards whose dribble gets cut off. Hugley is adept at establishing quick post position, looking for a pass, and sealing his man away with hips, elbows and, aherm, lower-body strength to open up space for his attempts near the bucket. Hugley will knock down an elbow jumper, and has a turnaround hook shot that’s been effective against longer bigs, but he is hoping to show more range and consistency on his jumper this year to help space things out for the young guards. While a strong rebounder and tremendously difficult player to move where he doesn’t want to be moved, Hugley isn’t explosively athletic at either end of the court, and relies on his strength and bulldog mentality as much as others may get by with above-the-rim athleticism. His work on the offensive glass in particular is a skill Moser craves.
OU was a poor rebounding team in general last season, but they were downright awful at snatching up their own misses. The Sooners ranked among the bottom 25 Division I teams in offensive rebounding last year, and Hugley’s 86 offensive boards during his 2021-22 season would have counted for more than one third of the Sooners’ total as a team. “John is an extremely physical post player and uses his 6-9 frame aggressively around the basket,” Moser said when Hugley signed. “His physical toughness and size make it extremely hard for opposing teams.” Hugley will have to prove that he can not only defend well, but get up and down the court in a timely enough fashion to prevent the already slow pace of the Sooner offense from bogging down. And when Moser uses a 4-out look around him, Hugley will have to continue making smart passes to stay ahead of double-teams and avoid things becoming sluggish in the halfcourt.
A pair of transfer wings will look to fill big roles on the perimeter, and Moser really needs them to consistently knock down shots. Le’Tre Darthard has been as good as his name, bringing 137 career made three’s and a 37.8% mark from distance with him from Utah Valley. Darthard is no simple sniper, though. He was named to the All-Western Athletic Conference first team and received league All-Defense honors last season. Darthard ranked seventh in the WAC in free throw attempts, and made the fifth-most of them at a league-leading 88.9% rate – which also placed Darthard 17th among all Division I players. He was so efficient that it didn’t even take Darthard ten shots per game to average 13.8 points for the balanced Wolverines, which ranked top ten in the WAC. All of which is sweet music to Moser’s ears, as the Sooners were 225th or worse nationally in 3FG’s made, FT’s and FT attempts a year ago.
He was so efficient that it didn’t even take Darthard ten shots per game to average 13.8 points for the balanced Wolverines
“Le’Tre brings experience and toughness on both ends of the court,” said Moser. “He was a member of two championship teams at Utah Valley and showed his ability last season in the WAC,” Moser declared in a statement when Darthard pledged to OU. “Le’Tre is an efficient three-level scorer who has deep range.” While emerging as a legitimate threat last year offensively, Darthard also turned in his best defensive performance. Though he will have to measure up against larger, quicker players in the Big 12 than he has the past couple of years, Darthard has proven that he’s happy to stick his nose in against anybody and will fit with Moser’s demands of defensive quality on that side of the ball. His sticky fingers have turned over 68 opposing possessions in his last 65 games, while Darthard’s quick feet and toughness make him a real stopper who can force top scorers off their game. Darthard improved steadily during his three seasons at Utah Valley, and OU fans are hoping that, with another strong cast around him, Darthard’s best is yet to come.
Rivaldo Soares brings better size and just as much defensive acumen from Oregon, where he was coached by new Sooners assistant Armon Gates. Soares had a reputation as a perimeter stopper for the Ducks, and can defend most guys he’s matched against 1-4. “At 6’6″, Rivaldo gives us a long and competitive athletic wing who has played at the highest level,” Moser decreed upon Soares signing in Norman. “He is an elite defender who can create offense with his defense. At Oregon, he was always tasked with guarding the other team’s best player. His addition to the roster continues to build our length and athleticism as we aim to put together a more athletic and up-tempo team.” Soares is looking for more of an opportunity to show what he can do offensively with the Sooners, as well. He did have some memorable flashes offensively in Eugene, the most enduring of which coming in late February. Soares hit both a tying triple in the final minute and then a game-winning shot in a road rivalry contest to knock off Oregon State, showing his panache for big plays.
| Five Stats Which Tell The Tale (with national ranks) |
| 67.5 – Opponent Points Per Game (83rd) |
| 67.7 – Points Per Game (253rd) |
| .429 – Opponent Assists Per Field Goal Made (25th) |
| 53.3 – Field Goal Attempts Per Game (330th) |
| 5.5 – Opponent 3FG Made Per Game (16th) |
Soares hasn’t been the most efficient player on that end thus far, though, and OU really needs clean, tidy scoring. Soares shot just 25.9% from deep over his two seasons in Eugene, and his field goal rate dropped down to 38.1% overall a year ago. Soares also committed twice as many turnovers as he made triples, which Moser needs to be flipped around coming from a guy who doesn’t handle the ball a great deal. Soares has done his best work when he gets to the cup; he’s made 61% of his shots at the rim the past two seasons, per Bart Torvik, and if the guards can space the floor, Soares must use his open opportunities to pick up easy points inside. Soares can play a very complete game when his jumper is falling, and OU hopes that he can make that happen more often than not.
The Sooners landed a potential x-factor from the Portal this summer in former Georgia Tech forward Jalon Moore. Though, like Soares, Moore has yet to become a consistent scoring threat, Moore was brought in because he can do a little bit of everything. He started 15 games and averaged 20.6 minutes in Atlanta as a sophomore after playing a deep reserve role as a freshman, and Moser feels as though Moore is just getting started. “Jalon brings length, toughness and tremendous athleticism to our roster,” Moser observed upon Moore’s signing. “He impacts the game in transition and on the offensive glass. Jalon’s athleticism will help us run our up-tempo offense next season. Excited for him to take the next step and help us take the next step.” Moore has the size and skills to be a good fit at the 4 spot next to Hugley – if he can improve some as a shooter. He made an acceptable 57% of his tries around the cup last year, per Bart Torvik, but Moore made less than 30% of his other tries from elsewhere on the floor. Moore is money on the boards, though; he grabbed the second-most rebounds on Tech’s team a year ago, and nearly a quarter (23.5%) of those buckets he converted inside came on putbacks, per Hoop-Math. Moore can guard bigger or smaller players with largely the same efficacy, and he is a talented shot blocker for his size. If he and Hugley can help one another to provide better rim protection in the more athletic sets Moser is looking to employ this year, it could take the Sooners’ interior defense to another level.
Some very talented youngsters are also going to push for minutes on the wing; so skilled are they in fact, that each has been the top-rated prospect in Moser’s first two classes. Otega Oweh didn’t blow Sooner fans away in his first year, but once he got rolling a bit, he gave everyone some morsels which hint at the potential scouts have consistently seen in him. Oweh started OU’s final nine games, and over that stretch he averaged 8.4 points, 3.3 boards and 1.4 steals. Oweh’s game isn’t to stand on the perimeter and launch; while he’s shown the ability to make outside shots in the past, Oweh was all about getting to the rim as a freshman. As long as Oweh can overmatch defenders with his powerful drives and aggressive takes in transition, though, why wouldn’t he keep it up? Oweh is, like Soares, a tough defender who can handle just about any assignment and won’t back down from a challenge. If he can flesh out a bit more of his offensive game as a sophomore, Oweh could see his role expand quickly.
This year’s top freshman is Oklahoma native Kaden Cooper, who has been rated a Top 50 recruit by some services. Cooper is a long, strong, explosively athletic prospect whose overall game is still developing, but who brings tremendous, unteachable tools to OU’s rotation. As one would expect for a player so sought-after by Moser, Cooper is another intense and physical defender who can guard even guys who would usually be considered mismatches due to their own size, length or athleticism. Cooper loves to get out in transition to cash in easy points at or – his favorite – above the rim. While Cooper’s jumper is not yet a finished product, he gets points on straight drives to the rim where he has the handle and hands to receive and finish passes, and the springy leaping ability to go get an offensive board and stuff it home even when he’s not in prime position. Cooper and Oweh are similar talents, which isn’t great for contrast in the overall rotation, but their potential is off the charts and they each play the game the way Moser likes to see it played.
| Five Out-of-Conference Games to Keep an Eye on |
| vs North Carolina – December 20 |
| vs Arkansas – December 9 |
| N – Southern Cal / Seton Hall – November 24 |
| vs Providence – December 5 |
| N – Iowa – November 23 |
Oklahoma’s other new freshman will also join the race for minutes on the wing, and Jacolb Cole has the size and versatility to make his way among talented counterparts. “In Cole, the Sooners are getting a southpaw forward who possesses a few high-level intangibles, a desire to be great, and a budding skill set that will continue to improve as his game and body mature,” Brandon Jenkins of 247 Sports said last year of Colb. “He brings great size, length, and effort to the wing position.” He’s not a world-beating athlete, but Colb’s effort level and confidence handling the ball will win him opportunities, as will his developing outside shot. Colb held offers from Tennessee and Houston among plenty of others, but he’s chosen Oklahoma to develop into an impact two-way player.
Oklahoma made a late signing when Moser signed Maks Klanjscek, a graduate transfer from Houston Christian, to add some more scoring firepower off of the pine. Klankscek, who is from Slovenia, has made quite a tour of American college basketball; after starting out at Kansas City, he spent a year at JuCo powerhouse Salt Lake Community College, and then played a season at Maine. Last winter, Klanjscek led a Houston Christian team which included now-Arizona State scorer Brycen Long in points per game. “Excited to add Maks to our program,” Moser said in a statement this summer. “He is an experienced guard who is a high-level shooter and ball handler. I look forward to him joining us in the fall.” Klanjscek is a proven deep shooter, and hit a career-best 69 three’s at 35.2% last year. He may not have the potential of OU’s younger guards, but Klanjscek will drill an open shot, and provides value to a team that often couldn’t do so last year.
Sam Godwin leads a group of young forwards looking to earn themselves a bigger role. Godwin, a former walk-on who transfered from Wofford, has proven that he will force Moser to keep giving him minutes by doing all of the little things. “He uplifts us when he gets in there,” Moser has lauded his veteran big man. “Whether it’s rebounding, whether it’s winning plays, finishing around the basket or grabbing an offensive rebound, he uplifts us.” While Godwin’s offensive game is somewhat limited, he is smart enough to play to his strengths and consistently is in the right place at the right time. Godwin can be outmuscled by some of the larger, more athletic bigs in the Big 12, but he always brings great energy and will give his all of effort no matter the mismatch; and for a team that struggled so mightily on the glass all year, Godwin’s team-leading 48 offensive boards were each like a drink of cold water in the desert.
Yaya Keita, a transfer from Missouri, and Eric Northweather, a freshman, are both coming off of redshirt seasons and looking to establish themselves. Keita played in just two games as a Sooner before being shut down for surgery on his shin. At 100%, Keita is a 100% effort player who is active on the glass at both ends of the court, gets up and down in transition, and knows how to flush anything he gets his hands on around the rim. While he’s played just 146 minutes of collegiate ball so far, Keita has the athleticism and ability to defend and score in the more up-tempo scheme that Moser wants to implement. He will start the year as a reserve, but if Keita can flash his talent and provide a contrast to Hugley’s more methodical post play, it may give Moser some fun new lineup versatility. Northweather, the brother of Drake big man Eric Northweather, redshirted to add strength and develop his overall game. A skilled big who can operate with his back to the basket or step out to the three point arc to knock down a jumper, Northweather projects as a useful offensive big for Moser to use as a change-up from Hugley. How often Moser will be able to have his new cambio on the floor is largely going to depend on how well Northweather can hold up defensively.
The Sooners ranked among the bottom hundred teams in the country in possessions per game, two-point attempts, three-point attempts, and free throw attempts last season. It’s one thing to play great, tight defense, but this season, Moser wants his team to do a lot more offensively.
“This group, we’re noticeably longer and more athletic,” Moser told reporters in August. “That’s the first thing that jumps out. It was intentional in how we recruited, being more athletic. I think we have the pieces to be really really good defensively. I think we have the pieces to be way more up-tempo.” His young star, Uzan, agrees. “I think it just fits our personnel a little better,” Uzan enthused as the Sooners started fall practices. “We have bigger wings, more athletic guys who can run the floor better. I think playing at that speed will fit us better.”
If Hugley can join forces with Moore, Godwin and Co to shore up the boards and McCollum combines with Uzan to drive the Sooner Schooner at a quicker pace, OU’s young wings should be able to take flight. Moser has done the offseason work to upgrade his roster and plot a new course. Now, the difficult work of implementing plans while being punched in the mouth by the Big 12 begins. Things are looking better in Norman this year, though, and Oklahoma is ready to go on the offensive.
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