Report: Fourth Sooner enters the transfer portal

Senior forward Brady Manek is the latest member of the OU basketball team to announce his intentions to play elsewhere next season

Ryan Chapman | Apr 2, 2021

A fourth Oklahoma Sooner has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal.

ESPN college basketball reporter Jeff Borzello has reported that senior forward Brady Manek has entered the portal as a graduate transfer.

Oklahoma forward Brady Manek has entered the transfer portal, sources told ESPN. Averaged 10.8 points and 5.0 rebounds this season. Been a consistent four-year starter for the Sooners.
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) April 2, 2021

Manek later confirmed via Twitter that he's exploring his options.

In his four seasons with the Sooners, the Harrah, OK, product averaged 12 points per game, 5.6 rebounds, 0.8 blocks and 0.7 assists over 122 games.

Arriving on campus alongside NBA All-Star Trae Young, Manek finishes his Sooner career with 1,459 points, good for 14th in school history.

Manek grew throughout his years in Norman as well.

Initially a spot-up shooter for now retired head coach Lon Kruger, Manek moved more and more into the low post as his career progressed. He was asked to play the role of starting center for OU over a majority of his final two years on campus.

His 2020-21 season for the Sooners was derailed somewhat when he contracted COVID-19 in January and also sustained injuries to his torso in a collision and fall under the basket. Missing from the team for 10 days, Manek had to find ways to train on his own as he was forced into isolation from the team.

Manek bounced back toward the end of the season, scoring in double figures in four of his last six games in a Sooner uniform.

Joining Manek in the transfer portal have been guard Trey Phipps, as well as forward Victor Iwuakor and center Anyang Garang.

Phipps announced earlier this week he would be transferring to Oral Roberts.

Austin Reaves and De’Vion Harmon will also likely not be Sooners next season, as they have entered their names into the NBA Draft, joining center Kur Kuath in pursuing professional careers instead of returning to Norman next season.

The coaching search rages on, as athletic director Joe Castiglione has reportedly offered a six-year deal to Loyola Chicago coach Porter Moser to take the helm in Kruger’s wake.

Published Apr 2, 2021

RYAN CHAPMAN

Ryan is deputy editor at AllSooners and covers a number of sports in and around Norman and Oklahoma City. Working both as a journalist and a sports talk radio host, Ryan has covered the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the United States Men’s National Soccer Team, the Oklahoma City Energy and more. Since 2019, Ryan has simultaneously pursued a career as both a writer and a sports talk radio host, working for the Flagship for Oklahoma sports, 107.7 The Franchise, as well as AllSooners.com. Ryan serves as a contributor to The Franchise’s website, TheFranchiseOK.com, which was recognized as having the “Best Website” in 2022 by the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters. Ryan holds an associate’s degree in Journalism from Oklahoma City Community College in Oklahoma City, OK.