Breaking down OU men's basketball's scholarship count and remaining transfer needs
NORMAN — Porter Moser and his staff have been busy this offseason.
After coaching OU to a 15-17 (5-13 Big 12) record last season, Moser has been tasked with retooling his roster. The Sooners watched eight players depart the program, but they've since added four transfers and two incoming freshmen.
OU now has 11 scholarship players on its roster, leaving it with two more available scholarships before it reaches the NCAA's maximum amount.
Here's a look at OU's scholarship situation and what the team still needs to address with its last two spots:
OU men's basketball: Tracking the Sooners' arrivals, departures via the transfer portal
Scholarship breakdown
Scholarship returners: Milos Uzan, Otega Oweh, Sam Godwin, Yaya Keita and Luke Northweather
Incoming freshman: Jacolb Cole and Kaden Cooper
Transfer additions: Javian McCollum, John Hugley, Rivaldo Soares and Le'Tre Darthard
Departures: Tanner Groves (graduated), Grant Sherfield (NBA Draft), Jalen Hill (UNLV), Bijan Cortes (Wichita State), Jacob Groves (Virginia), C.J. Noland (St. Louis), Joe Bamisile (VCU) and Benny Schroeder (George Washington)
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Departures
OU's roster got decimated by departures. The team watched eight players either graduate, declare for the 2023 NBA Draft or enter the transfer portal.
One of those departures was starting point guard Grant Sherfield, who served as OU's main shot creator last season. The senior averaged 15.9 points per game and shot 39.4% from deep.
OU also lost most of its backcourt depth. C.J. Noland, Bijan Cortes, Joe Bamisile and Benny Schroeder entered the transfer portal, leaving the Sooners without much returning guard play.
The Sooners then lost two key frontcourt players in Jalen Hill and Tanner Groves, who started alongside each other in all but one game throughout the past two seasons. They also lost another part-time starting forward in Jacob Groves.
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Returners
OU only brought back five players from last season's team.
The Sooners' two biggest returners are sophomore guards Milos Uzan and Otega Oweh, who were both starters by the end of the season. Uzan is a strong facilitator who averaged 7.6 points and three assists, while Oweh is a versatile defender who averaged 4.8 points and 1.2 steals.
Uzan and Oweh are two crucial returners in the backcourt, but OU didn't bring back much frontcourt experience. Its best returner in that department is Sam Godwin, who averaged 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds as a walk-on last season before earning a scholarship.
OU also brought back Yaya Keita and Luke Northweather. Keita is a 6-foot-9 forward who appeared in two games last season, while Northweather is a 6-11 center who redshirted last season as a freshman.
Arrivals
OU has done well in the transfer portal so far.
The team's first addition proved to be Siena transfer Javian McCollum, a 6-2 guard who averaged 15.9 points and 3.9 assists as a sophomore last season. McCollum is an athletic guard who can score from both close range and behind the arc.
McCollum also has good passing vision. He figures to start alongside Uzan in the backcourt, giving the Sooners two athletic guards who can facilitate.
OU also added another two guards in Oregon transfer Rivaldo Soares and Utah Valley transfer Le'Tre Darthard.
Soares is a 6-6 guard who averaged 7.2 points and 3.6 rebounds as a senior last season. He'll likely compete with Oweh for the starting small forward spot.
Darthard is a 6-4 guard who averaged 13.8 points and 3.5 rebounds as a junior. The two-way guard has a shot at taking a starting spot from McCollum, but he'll provide some much-needed experience off the bench at the very least.
OU also added size with the commitment of Pittsburgh transfer John Hugley. The 6-9 forward averaged 14.8 points and 7.9 rebounds two seasons ago. He then appeared in Pitt's first eight games last season before shutting himself down to focus on injury rehabilitation (knee) and mental health.
When healthy, Hugley is a bruising big man who can provide strength down low. He'll surely be OU's starting center.
We also can't forget about Jacolb Cole and Kaden Cooper, two four-star freshmen who are now in the mix.
Cole is a 6-7 wing player who handles the ball well and has the strength to finish at the rim, although he needs to become a more consistent 3-point shooter. Cooper is a 6-5 wing who excels on defense, but he must also improve his range.
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Need No. 1: A starting power forward
OU's biggest remaining need is a starting power forward.
The Sooners must use one of their two remaining scholarship spots to replace Hill, who was their most versatile defender last season. And while most of the top transfer players have already found new homes, OU does have some options.
The best option is San Diego State transfer Keshad Johnson, who averaged 7.7 points and five rebounds as a senior last season. Johnson is a strong forward who can defend multiple positions, and his motor can be seen on both ends of the floor.
The biggest knock on Johnson's game is his lack of range. He's a career 24.6% shooter from behind the arc.
But Hill wasn't much of a shooter either. Johnson is a versatile defender, making him an ideal replacement. The prized power forward recently visited OU and USC.
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Need No. 2: A shot creator
OU relied heavily on Sherfield for scoring production last season, and it struggled when he couldn't deliver. The Sooners went 0-5 in games when its veteran guard failed to score double digit points.
OU's final scholarship spot would best be used on a shot creator, and that player could be Missouri-Kansas City transfer RayQuawndis Mitchell. The 6-5 guard averaged 17.3 points and 3.8 rebounds as a senior last season.
The biggest knock on Mitchell's game is his lack of efficiency. He shot 38.1% from inside the arc and 30.1% from deep last season.
Still, Mitchell is capable of putting points on the board. He proved that when he racked up 18 points in a game against OU on Dec. 6. If Mitchell can adjust to a bench role that requires better shot selection, he'd be a valuable addition to the Sooners.
Mitchell has heard from OU, LSU, Texas Tech and numerous other programs, according to The Portal Report.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU basketball scholarship count, transfer targets in 2023 offseason
