Oklahoma State’s 2026 season didn’t just start with a 24-10 loss to Tulsa. It also put the spotlight on one of the program’s youngest and newest power brokers, general manager Rajesh Murti, after a screenshot circulated showing him liking a bikini photo of an Instagram model.
Murti, who is 24, became the youngest GM in Power Four history when he officially joined Oklahoma State in December 2025. He arrived in Stillwater with new head coach Eric Morris after the pair’s successful run at North Texas, and he’s already being watched closely as the Cowboys try to rebuild under a new regime.
The social media buzz around Murti comes at an awkward moment for the program, which opened the 2026 campaign with a frustrating loss that spoiled Morris’ debut. There is no publicly available or verified information regarding Murti’s relationship status, and the source notes that if he is single, his behavior would be fine. Still, the point is clear: at his age, and in his role, people are paying attention.
For Oklahoma State, the bigger picture is the overhaul underway on the field. After the departure of longtime head coach Mike Gundy, Morris has been tasked with guiding a major roster reset. The Cowboys are already 0-1, and the transfer-heavy approach reflects just how much change is happening in Stillwater.
This is a program with a long track record - 10 conference championships, 34 bowl appearances, and Barry Sanders as its most famous name after his 1988 Heisman Trophy season. But 2026 is about something different: reinvention. Oklahoma State brought in 53 incoming transfers, the second-most in the FBS, and the hope is that the new structure can quickly take hold.
For now, though, the season’s first headline has less to do with the standings and more to do with Murti’s online activity, a small moment that has turned into a very public talking point.
In Other News...
Thunder Are Still Becoming The NBA Problem Nobody Wants
Nikola Jokic recently put the Oklahoma City defense in a familiar spotlight, naming the Thunder as one of the teams that gives him trouble because of how well they work together on that end. It was a fitting nod for a group that has built its identity on collective pressure, smart rotations and a style that rarely depends on one stopper to carry the load. Even with offseason roster changes and new faces entering the mix, Oklahoma City has kept the same basic calling card intact.
The challenge now is making sure that identity survives the next wave of roster decisions. The Thunder have financial questions ahead, but they also have a young core under contract through 2027-28, which gives them time to keep shaping a team that already looks built to bother opponents for years. The front office has changed pieces around that foundation, and the next step is seeing how those adjustments hold up when the games start to matter again. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Rookie Bennett Stirtz Is Already Feeling A Backcourt Squeeze
The Thunders next wave of youth has given the organization enviable depth, but it also brings the kind of roster math that can get tricky in a hurry. With Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren already under contract and both Bennett Stirtz and Nikola Topic in the mix, Oklahoma City is once again balancing talent development with the realities of a packed rotation.
Topics health history has made his path a little more complicated, but the bigger picture is still clear: the Thunder like what they have enough to keep investing in it. For Stirtz, that means a rookie year with little room to coast, especially in a backcourt where every role seems to have competition and every minute has to be earned. [Read more 🡒]
Shai's Next MVP Push Could Put New Pressure On OKC
After back-to-back MVP awards and a title run in 2025, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is already in the kind of territory most stars never reach. The Thunder have spent the past two seasons perched at the top of the league, and that team success has been part of the case for his rise from elite scorer to full-fledged centerpiece of the NBAs best story.
The next chase, though, comes with a different kind of pressure. Another strong season from Oklahoma City would only harden the argument for a third straight MVP, especially with Victor Wembanyama looming as the name many around the league expect to set the pace in the race. For the Thunder, the stakes are bigger than one trophy vote, because staying on top again could shape the entire conversation around Gilgeous-Alexanders place in the league. [Read more 🡒]