Steve Lutz is heading to Puerto Rico with a clear idea of what Oklahoma State can get out of the trip, and it goes well beyond the three exhibition games on the schedule.
The Cowboys will spend the weekend there playing three games against professional competition, but the real value, in Lutz’s eyes, comes from the 10 NCAA-allowed summer practices that come with the trip. He said those extra sessions are the biggest payoff as Oklahoma State keeps working toward the 2025-26 season.
“I’ve told you guys a million times I like practice,” Lutz said. “I don’t necessarily like the games. The games are for the players.”
For Lutz, those practices are a chance to coach, evaluate and get a better read on the roster before the season starts. He also sees the trip as a way to speed up the team’s chemistry in a setting that forces players to be around one another.
The Cowboys’ off-court plan includes paddleboarding, a catamaran ride and a hike through a rainforest, with one major rule in place: no phones.
“That’s where you learn about your teammates,” Lutz said. “I won’t allow them to take their phones. You’ll have to talk to your teammates.”
In Lutz’s view, that kind of bonding matters even more now, with the transfer portal constantly reshaping rosters and putting new faces together every year.
He also likes what he’s seen from this group on the floor. Lutz pointed to the roster’s size and basketball IQ, saying the Cowboys have been quicker to pick up concepts than some of his previous teams and that they bring more length across the lineup.
Oklahoma State will use the trip to test different combinations, and Lutz said the priority still has to be winning.
“We’re going over there to compete and to win,” Lutz said. “But I also want to see who plays well together and try the different lineups out.”
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