Oklahoma State men's basketball is gearing up for an intriguing 2026-27 season under the guidance of Coach Steve Lutz, who has crafted a roster with a blend of fresh talent and seasoned players. With a top-tier recruiting class that includes four four-star recruits and a strategic transfer class, the Cowboys are poised to address the gaps left by graduations and transfers.
Coach Lutz's roster strategy is further enhanced by a groundbreaking change in NCAA eligibility rules. The new "5-for-5" legislation is set to revolutionize college athletics by allowing student-athletes five years to compete over five years, effectively eliminating the traditional redshirt year except in rare circumstances.
This eligibility period kicks off with full-time college enrollment or the academic year after an athlete's 19th birthday. While this rule will be fully in place by fall 2027, current student-athletes will benefit immediately, as the NCAA will reassess and potentially reclassify their eligibility to whichever rule favors them.
For Oklahoma State, this legislative shift means a lot. Key players from last season's 20-win team, alongside new recruits, will have more flexibility in their collegiate careers. Let's break down what this means for the roster:
- Clary, with four years of college sports under his belt, including a redshirt, is set for his final year.
- Burks, listed as a senior, hasn't utilized his redshirt year, suggesting he could have two years left to play.
The situation with Grbovic and Bogovac adds an intriguing twist. Both players, who have international and club experience in Europe and just one year of college basketball, are listed as seniors. Since they entered college as juniors, their status is pending an NCAA decision, but they currently stand to have one more year of eligibility.
Most other players on the roster haven't used a redshirt year, which under the new rule, grants them an additional year of eligibility.
There are a couple of unique cases to watch. Transfer guard Kashie Natt from Sam Houston is awaiting a waiver due to starting his career in the NAIA, while OSU is reserving a scholarship for Parsa Fallah.
Fallah, who suffered an ACL injury, thought his college career was over but is now applying for a waiver because of his delayed arrival in the U.S. The NCAA will make decisions on these waivers by July 31, as per the new guidelines.
This season is shaping up to be an exciting one for Oklahoma State as they navigate these changes and aim to capitalize on their bolstered roster. With Coach Lutz at the helm and the new eligibility rules in play, the Cowboys are set to make waves in college basketball.
In Other News...
Eric Morris Sent A Clear Message With Oklahoma States Media Days Group
The Big 12s annual media days are set for July 7 and 8 at The Star in Frisco, and Oklahoma States delegation says plenty about how Eric Morris wants to introduce this new era. The Cowboys will send Morris along with quarterback Drew Mestemaker, running back Caleb Hawkins, defensive end Jaleel Johnson and linebacker Ethan Wesloski, giving the program a small but pointed group to put in front of cameras as the conference stage shifts into view.
The makeup of that quartet is the part worth watching, because three of those four players followed Morris from North Texas and already know his system. Mestemaker arrives with the kind of profile that can shape the conversation around the offense, while Johnson is the lone representative who was already in Stillwater, a subtle reminder that Morris is blending familiarity with a fresh start. With the event airing live on ESPNU and ESPN2, Oklahoma State will have a chance to make its first public statement of the summer before a national audience. [Read more 🡒]
Every 2026 Opponent Is A Reminder Of Oklahoma State's Reset
Every opponent on Oklahoma States 2026 schedule comes with a fresh reminder of how much the program has to rebuild under Eric Morris. After Mike Gundys exit and a 1-11 season, Morris inherited a roster and a recent two-year stretch that has gone 4-20, and the early shape of the schedule only underscores the size of the reset. He has already started stockpiling familiar faces from North Texas, but the challenge now is turning that connection into something more than a short-term reshuffle.
The return dates offer a blunt snapshot of where things stand. The Cowboys will have to answer for recent losses to West Virginia, UCF, Colorado and Iowa State, along with a trip to Oregon that quickly got away from them, and there is even a first-ever meeting with Murray State on the calendar. For a program trying to leave the recent past behind, the 2026 slate does not allow much room to do it quietly. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Just Rubbed More Salt In Oklahomas Bedlam Wounds
The Bedlam scorecard is lopsided again, and this one stings a little more for Oklahoma. Oklahoma State wrapped up the 2025-26 all-sports series with an 18-5-1 edge, the most one-sided finish since the competition started in 1999-2000 and the biggest margin either school has ever posted. It also gives the Cowboys a third straight Bedlam title, a familiar place to be even as the rivalry itself keeps changing around them.
What makes the result feel even heavier is how early OSU had control of it, with the lead already built by the end of September. The Cowboys and Cowgirls got signature help from a wrestling shutout and a softball win over the No. 1 Sooners, while the football rivalry remained on hold again because Oklahoma is now in the SEC. For now, the next scheduled chance for the two schools to meet comes in soccer next August. [Read more 🡒]