Oklahoma men’s basketball all-time roster: Sooner Legends
We are on the cusp of an exhilarating time of the year for most sports fans nationwide, as March Madness is very near. The electricity generated by conference tournaments and the following NCAA Tournaments is an experience no collegiate sport can replicate. Selection Sunday is Mar.12.
Porter Moser’s team has had an incredibly perplexing season. They beat multiple ranked teams and played tough in some other games. However, the Sooners look like the odd team out when deciding which Big 12 teams make it into the field of 68.
Oklahoma was a mainstay in the tournament during the 2010s, as they made it six times. Their most recent berth was in 2021. The Sooners’ most recent Final Four appearance was in 2016, spearheaded by Oklahoma basketball legend Buddy Hield. With a reasonably steady program despite no national championships, what would an all-time Sooners basketball team look like? Sooners Wire chose one head coach, two assistants, and ten players to make up the all-time roster.
Billy Tubbs: Head Coach (1980–1994)
Feb 21, 1998; Fort Worth, TX, USA; FILE PHOTO; TCU Horned Frogs head coach Billy Tubbs reacts on the sidelines against the New Mexico Lobos at the DanielÐMeyer Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports
Billy Tubbs, who pushed Oklahoma basketball forward significantly, is the choice for Oklahoma’s all-time coach. He has the wins and the success, and he also recruited and coached a nice chunk of the players on the all-time roster.
Tubbs guided the Sooners to runner-up finishes in the NCAA Tournament (1988) and the National Invitation Tournament (1991). Tubbs was named National Coach of the Year in 1983 and 1985. The 333 wins he amassed at OU are the most in school history.
Tubbs’ teams won four Big Eight titles in six years and were No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament for three straight years. He changed Oklahoma basketball in immeasurable ways.
Kelvin Sampson: Assistant Coach (1994-2006)
Oklahoma basketball coach Kelvin Sampson yells at center Victor Avila during the first half of the Big 12 game in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Jan. 8, 2000. Avila had fouled one of the Aggie players. (AP Photo)
While Kelvin Sampson never was an assistant at Oklahoma, leaving him out of anything all-time related to Oklahoma would feel wrong. Sampson posted nine consecutive 20-win seasons.
During his tenure, he also guided Oklahoma to 11 NCAA Tournament berths, with a Sweet 16 in 1999, a Final Four appearance in 2002, and an Elite Eight appearance in 2003.
Starting Point Guard: Mookie Blaylock (1987-1989)
Golden State Warriors’ Mookie Blaylock addresses the crowd after his jersey was retired during halftime of an Oklahoma-Nebraska game Saturday, Jan. 27, 2001, in Norman, Okla. Blaylock was a first-team All American at Oklahoma and has the school record for career steals. At left is Blaylock’s wife, Janelle, holding their son, Dominick, as their twin boys, Zackary and Daron, right, look on. (AP Photo/Jerry Laizure)
Daron “Mookie” Blaylock is the point guard for this Oklahoma team because of his ability to pass, play defense and be the consummate floor general for Oklahoma during his time. He was the quintessential point guard.
His two-year career at Oklahoma saw him average 18 points and over six assists per game en route to leading Oklahoma to the 1988 National title game. He earned a second-team All-American selection during his final year in norman.
Starting Shooting Guard: Buddy Hield (2012-2016)
Mar 20, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Buddy Hield (24) reacts after the game against the Virginia Commonwealth Rams in the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Buddy Hield, one of the most decorated Oklahoma athletes, is the undisputed choice at shooting guard. His range and jump shot are legendary in college athletics, and while he was a Sooner, he dominated.
Hield won back-to-back Big 12 Player of the Year awards in 2015 and 2016. He also led the Sooners to their most recent Final Four in 2016. He also swept the four major player of the year awards in 2016.
Hield finished with a career average of 17.4 points a game on 39 percent shooting from behind the three-point line.
He’s second all-time in points at Oklahoma. Hield ranks first in OU history in 3-pointers made (349) and attempted (894).
Starting Small Forward: Jeff Webster (1989-1994)
https://www.instagram.com/p/oTniB2veEk/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Jeff Webster solidified himself on OU’s all-time team with his prolific scoring capabilities and effort on the glass. He ranks third all-time in scoring for the Sooners and is 12th all-time in rebounds.
Webster’s 44 points versus SMU his senior year remains one of the all-time great scoring efforts at home. Webster posted had 14 different 30-point games over his Sooners career, which is good for fourth all-time.
Starting Power Forward: Blake Griffin (2008-2009)
Mar 27, 2009; Memphis, TN; Oklahoma Sooners forward Blake Griffin (23) shoots as Syracuse Orange forward Arinze Onuaku (21) and Eric Devendorf (23) defend in the Sooners 84-71 victory against the Orange in the semifinals of the south region of the 2009 NCAA basketball tournament at the FedEx Forum. Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
One of the Sooners’ hoops most prodigious hoopers ever is Blake Griffin. Griffin holds the distinction of being the most athletic big man Oklahoma has had on campus. He only spent two years in Norman, but Griffin made them count.
While playing under Jeff Capel, Griffin averaged 14.7 points and 9.1 rebounds, leading the Sooners to a 23–12 record in his first year. He became the first Sooner to make the conference All-Rookie team since Wayman Tisdale.
Instead of leaving for the NBA, he returned to follow that up with 22.7 points, 14.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game during the regular season and earned All-American First Team honors for his performance.
He had a stretch that sophomore season where he became the first player in Big 12 history to record back-to-back games of at least 20 points and 20 rebounds.
He rewrote school and Big 12 single-season records for most rebounds (504), rebounding average (14.4), and double-doubles (30), and his free throw attempts (324) were the most by a Sooner in a single season.
He swept all six significant player of the year awards on his way to becoming the first Oklahoma player in school history to win the Naismith Award, Oscar Robertson Trophy, Adolph Rupp Trophy, John Wooden Award, and the Associated Press player of the year.
Starting Post: Wayman Tisdale (1983-1985)
Wayman Tisdale, the Indiana Pacers’ number one draft choice, holds up his Pacer jersey after he signed his contract with the team in Indianapolis, Oct. 10, 1985. The Oklahoma University all-American signed a four-year contract with the Pacers after weeks of negotiations. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Wayman Tisdale represents some of the best years in Oklahoma hoops history.
He played under the program’s best coach and was the team’s best player. Tisdale is the best Sooner ever, and there’s a reason why he’s in the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
Tisdale was a three-time Big Eight Conference Player of the Year winner and the first player in collegiate history to be named a first-team All-American by the Associated Press in his freshman, sophomore, and junior seasons.
Over those seasons, Tisdale averaged 26 points, ten rebounds, and two blocks on over 58 percent shooting from the field. He entered as a McDonald’s All-American and exceeded expectations.
His No. 23 jersey was retired in 1997 before Griffin asked Tisdale for his blessing to wear it again. Tisdale granted it to him, and the jersey has not been worn since Griffin.
The best freshman in the nation award for the NCAA is named the Wayman Tisdale Award.
Reserve Point Guard: Trae Young (2017)
In this Dec. 19, 2017, Oklahoma guard Trae Young (11) drives past Northwestern State forward Brandon Hutton, right, in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)
Trae Young had immense potential that was showcased in his lone season as at Oklahoma.
In his only season as a Sooner, he averaged 27.4 points per game and 8.7 assists. Young went off for 40 on four different occasions that season. His ability to shoot from a distance while creating for others sets him apart.
Reserve Guard: Hollis Price (1999-2003)
ATLANTA – MARCH 30: Jarrad Odle (43) of Indiana guards Hollis Price (10) of Oklahoma during the semifinal round of the NCAA Men’s Final Four on March 30, 2002 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. Indiana defeated Oklahoma 73-64, advancing them to the championship game. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/ Getty Images)
Hollis Price was a staple on the early 90 teams and was a key figure in helping Oklahoma get to the Final Four in 2002 under Kelvin Sampson. His combination of tenacity on defense and steady play on offense earns him a spot.
Price averaged 13.4 ppg, 3.4 APG and is ninth all-time in the Big 12 for steals. His 1,821 points are 19th in Big 12 history.
Reserve forward: Eduardo Najera (1997-2000)
Mar 8, 1997; Kansas City, MO; Oklahoma Sooners forward Eduardo Najera (21) in action against the Missouri Tigers during the Big 12 tournament at Kemper Arena. Missouri defeated Oklahoma 89-80. RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports
Eduardo Najera is one of the best all-around Oklahoma Sooners ever. He helped the team to four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances during his career and finished in Oklahoma’s all-time top ten in nine different statistical categories. He is a member of Oklahoma’s 1,000 points and 500 rebound club with Career averages of 13.1 points per game and 7.2 rebounds per game.
Reserve Forward: Alvan Adams (1973-1975)
Former Oklahoma basketball player Blake Griffin shakes hands with Alvan Adams during the Sooners’ alumni basketball game at The Lloyd Noble Center on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2013, in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/The Oklahoman, Steve Sisney)
It speaks volumes that one of the program’s most decorated players is in a reserve capacity. However, it’s hard to pick and choose with the contributions and dominance of the guys ahead of him.
Alvan Adams is one of the ten best Oklahoma basketball players ever. His No. 33 jersey is retired. With career averages of 23.4 PPG and 12.8 RPG, it’s only fitting.
Adams is one of only three players in the history of the University of Oklahoma to score at least 40 points and get 20 rebounds in a game, along with Wayman Tisdale and Blake Griffin.
The All-American
was named Big Eight Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player of the Big Eight Tournament three times. He was the only unanimous Big Eight Conference 1970s All-Decade Team selection at Oklahoma.
Reserve Center: Stacey King (1986-1989)
Oklahoma Sooners forward Stacey King (33) in action. Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
To round out the roster, the final spot goes to the fourth Sooners player to ever have his jersey retired, and that’s Stacey King.
King was a dominant force in college, manning the paint for Oklahoma at 6-11. He was transcendent in Billy Tubb’s up-tempo offense because of his athleticism and ability to run the floor.
King averaged 17.6 PPG and 7.2 RPG over four seasons. Defensively, he was a menage averaging two blocks per game. His sophomore and junior seasons are when he became the OU legend we know now.
He physically matured and learned the intricacies of collegiate basketball and took off.
King owns the third-most career blocks by a Sooner with 228. He holds the school record for most blocks in a season, with 103 in 1988.
He earned consensus first-team All-American honors in 1989 and was named the Big Eight Conference’s Player of the Year as a senior, averaging 26.0 points and 10.1 rebounds per game.
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