All Sooners

Oklahoma Basketball Secures Commitment From Impact Center in the Transfer Portal

After landing an impact guard on Monday, Porter Moser has more help on the way.

Ross Lovelace

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The good news is starting to roll in for Porter Moser and the Oklahoma basketball team.

Just a day after landing big-time guard Javian McCollum, the Sooners reportedly have added much needed front-court depth with Pittsburgh transfer John Hugley committing to the Sooners.

Hugley was hampered by an injury all last season, appearing in just eight total games. In 2021-22, however, he was a force to be reckoned with. The 6-foot-9, 240-pound center led Pitt in both scoring and rebounding at 14.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game.

“I chose Oklahoma because it just felt like home,” he told On3, who reported his commitment on Thursday. “From the time Coach Porter first picked up the phone to call me, from the time I left campus, it was just all love. 

"Coach Porter is an unbelievable coach and he loves to win and has (taken) his teams to the highest levels. I also think coach does an unbelievable job with featuring his big man. I really think this team can make a really deep run come tournament time."

Hugley's commitment comes shortly after Moser hired Armon Gates to his coaching staff. After landing two high profile transfers in the span of two days, the addition of Gates seems to be paying off immediately.

“Coach Gates had a huge impact on me coming to Oklahoma," Hugley told On3. "He did a great job recruiting me and we have a great relationship, so that was major to me.”

After losing Tanner Groves, Oklahoma's biggest need heading into the offseason was front-court depth. Adding Hugley to the mix is a massive piece to the puzzle in next season's team.

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Ross Lovelace
ROSS LOVELACE

Experience Ross is a young, up-and-coming sports reporter who has covered the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Oklahoma Sooners over the past six years. He's made guest appearances on various radio stations and has helped out with the All Sooners podcast whenever he gets the chance. Ross enjoys public speaking and has done so at multiple churches and high schools across the OKC metro area. In addition to writing, Ross has been the Play-by-Play announcer for Crossings’ basketball and football programs since 2020. In high school, Ross worked for self-starter blogs and latched onto Thunder Digest, where he discovered his passion for writing. From there, he worked for the OU Daily as a women's basketball reporter and was hired by All Sooners. Ross landed an internship with Sports Illustrated's Inside the Thunder and has since become a full-time contributor. One day, Ross hopes to work in the NBA. Work History Education Ross holds a bachelor's degree in Public Relations and a minor in Communication from the University of Oklahoma. Personal Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Ross played basketball and wrote for his own Thunder blog at Crossings High School in OKC, OK. He enjoys reading, New York Jets football and a week at the beach. Ross is engaged to be married at the end of the year. His Twitter handle is @Rosslovelace.