OSU Basketball: Which Transfers Will the Cowboys Miss Most Next Season?
Oklahoma State lost important pieces this offseason, but the team will miss some players more than others.
Last season, OSU had one of its worst seasons in recent history. Although basketball has not been a shining sport for the Cowboys, a 12-20 campaign was enough for them to fire Mike Boynton and hire Steve Lutz to change the trajectory of the program.
During the weeks-long coaching search, the transfer portal opened, and suddenly, OSU’s roster was barren. OSU almost instantly lost four starters: Brandon Garrison, Javon Small, Quion Williams and Eric Dailey Jr. The Cowboys also lost another starter in John-Michael Wright, who was in his final year of eligibility, and a few other role players.
Still, those five were the most significant departures. Given the situation, the losses of Garrison and Dailey will be the most difficult to recover from.
Last season, Garrison burst onto the scene in the Big 12 as the Cowboys’ rim protector. He averaged 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks throughout the year. Meanwhile, Dailey was a skilled forward who added 9.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
While neither had eye-popping numbers, both showed flashes of what they could be throughout the next few seasons. Instead, Garrison will look to realize his potential at Kentucky, and Dailey will do the same at UCLA.
READ MORE: OSU Football: Finishing Regular Season Strong Critical to Big 12 Title Hopes
In the short term, OSU will miss Javon Small and his scoring ability in more ways than one. Last season, Small led the Cowboys in scoring at 15.1 points per game and kept them in a number of games that otherwise might have been blowouts.
While OSU’s scoring could suffer because of his loss, the Big 12 will not get a break from Small, who transferred to West Virginia this offseason. Just as OSU had to with Avery Anderson III last season, Small could be making his return to Stillwater next year and causing some problems for the Cowboys.
Wright and Williams did not have the same impact as OSU’s top three, but they were critical pieces to OSU’s rotation. As a veteran, Wright gave the Cowboys a calming presence and another playmaker and scorer. Likewise, Williams was the Cowboys’ glue guy and premier perimeter defender.
OSU will likely be fine without some of their top players from last season’s 20-loss campaign. However, the adjustment of so many new players and a new coach could put OSU in a tough spot as the season nears.
READ MORE: OSU Football: Do the Cowboys Have the Big 12's Best Offensive Line?
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Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.