Oklahoma State fans got a useful snapshot of where the Cowboys stand this offseason, and it points to a team that could be moving in the right direction.
CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein released his preseason Big 12 power rankings on Wednesday, and he slotted Oklahoma State at No. 7. That matters because the Cowboys are coming off a rough year by their standards, finishing tied for 13th in the conference before going out in the second round of both the Big 12 Tournament and the postseason NIT.
The ranking is built on the assumption that no more roster additions are coming, though that may still change. Some players, including OSU’s Kashie Natt and Parsa Fallah, are still pursuing more eligibility through the court system.
Even with that uncertainty, Rothstein’s placement says plenty about how the Cowboys’ roster is being viewed. Oklahoma State is bringing back only four players from last season, among them guard Kanye Clary. But the incoming talent is clearly a big part of the optimism.
The headliner is McDonald’s All-American forward Latrell Allmond out of Petersburg High School in Virginia, part of a recruiting class that was ranked among the best in the country and should make an immediate splash.
The transfer group adds more pieces that fit together. Former UCF forward Jordan Burks brings Big 12 experience and could step into a starting role.
Former Georgetown center Julius Halaifonua gives the Cowboys a possible answer in the middle. And the perimeter depth looks stronger with Jacob Walker, Andrija Grbovic and Luka Bogavac, a trio of shooting guards who can help stretch the floor.
There’s also Natt, who could start at off guard alongside Clary if he is granted eligibility. Fallah remains in the mix too, though he still has to come back from a torn ACL before he can play.
The bigger picture is that this roster appears more balanced than last year’s group, when Anthony Roy carried much of the offense. The Cowboys look like a team with more scoring options and more ways to open up the floor.
That kind of setup fits the broader trend in the Big 12 as well. Over the last four NCAA Tournaments, the league has placed at least seven teams in each field, and last season it sent eight.
Power rankings don’t decide anything, but Rothstein’s list does suggest Oklahoma State is sitting just inside the range of NCAA Tournament relevance. For Cowboys fans, that’s enough to make the offseason feel a little brighter.
In Other News...
Steve Lutz Is About To Get A Real Read On OSU
Steve Lutz is treating Oklahoma States preseason runway as something more valuable than a routine stretch of practice. The Cowboys get 10 official practices before heading to Puerto Rico, and Lutz has made clear those reps matter because they are the foundation for how quickly this group can come together. He has also liked what he has seen so far from a roster that is still sorting itself out, with returning players, freshmen and transfer additions all trying to learn his system at once.
Kanye Clary is part of that process, stepping into a larger vocal role while also trying to help a team that looks very different from the one OSU had a year ago. The trip to Puerto Rico should give Lutz a cleaner read on where the Cowboys really stand, since they will face teams with real structure and playoff experience rather than the kind of loose summer competition that can hide problems. For a coach still teaching his group how to play his way, that kind of test should tell him plenty. [Read more 🡒]
Steve Lutz Is Chasing A Guard Oklahoma State Cant Miss
Before Oklahoma State heads to Puerto Rico for a foreign trip that will give Steve Lutzs staff a chance to keep building chemistry and test itself against professional teams, the Cowboys coach made a detour to Louisville to see one of the class of 2027s most coveted guards in person. Lutz was at the UAA Finals to scout Payton Jones, a four-star prospect with a growing list of high-major options and a profile that fits the kind of backcourt talent Oklahoma State is trying to stockpile for the future.
The Cowboys already have one 2027 commitment in Tyson Pogi, the legacy guard and Oklahomas top player in that class, but the bigger picture is still taking shape around Jones. Oklahoma State is in the mix with several other major programs for his commitment, and the fact that Lutz went to watch him firsthand says plenty about how aggressively the staff is working the recruiting trail before the season even gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]