Porter Moser searching for the perfect mix for OU basketball

Each year, you can see the wheels turning for OU head basketball coach Porter Moser. Trying to put the pieces together to make that run to the NCAA Tournament.

Last season? It was about adding athleticism. This time around? Shooting. You don’t neglect the athletic ability part, but OU needed shooters.

And there’s the belief the Sooners have been able to check that box heading into the season. OU begins in less than two weeks, and Moser announced there will be a Red-White scrimmage next Wednesday at a time to be determined.

OU got older in the portal, but the crown jewel of the recruiting class? Well, he just turned 18 years old in freshman guard Jeremiah Fears.

After reclassifying from the 2025 to the 2024 class, he, in a way, fell into OU’s lap.

“The speed, athleticism. It was a great fit,” said Moser at media day Wednesday. “Missed the summer, so he’s been getting caught up. He’s been really coachable. He’s uber-athletic for us. He really has speed. I use a Rick Majerus line – the race to maturity. That race to maturity is getting young guys caught up on situations and. all the little things that go into the college game that impacts winning.

“He comes up and watches extra film. He gets extra shots. Any novice is going to lay their eyes on him and see that he’s different. He’s very talented. And excited to keep his arrow going up in terms of his development.”

Fears is an elite offensive player. Anybody who has watched him understands that. However, what has stood out to Moser is Fears’ willingness to be coachable defensively.

If you can’t play defense, good luck playing for Moser.

“Really coming in, watching extra tape,” Moser said. “That has impressed me with Jeremiah. A lot of guys come into watch their tape on their offensive performance. He’s been coming in, watching extra tape on his defense. That’s a great sign because he’s understanding, getting up to speed defensively. Because he’s got some serious gifts offensively.”

Moore, Godwin the cornerstones

Moser has always preached about growing old together. That, of course, is easier said than done in the NIL and transfer portal era.

It’s essentially another year of a new team. But you’ve got a couple of foundational pieces. And they’re not young. Jalon Moore and Sam Godwin have seen a lot, done a lot.

To have them as the leaders? You could do a lot worse.

“Retention is so big, not just in basketball but in a lot of the sports in college,” Moser said. “That’s been a challenge in the NIL and transfer portal era. Having Jalon Moore and Sam Godwin come back, unanimously people on the team, those were two of the toughest guys. The loyalty, the vision that they have. They attacked the summer and getting better.

“It helped because what retention does for you – when new guys enter the program – especially when you have more than two. My ideal, my vision for where Oklahoma basketball is going to get is it will eight or nine coming back. Those eight or nine are telling the new guys this is how we do things, how hard we go, this is our standard. Jalon and Sam have been doing that.”

Team identity is ______?

There’s going to be a chip on this team’s shoulder. You could hear in Moser’s tone. Do not let him get started about being the dreaded First Team Out of the Big Dance last March.

“I was pissed off this summer,” Moser said. “It was the hardest day — that Sunday was one of the hardest days of my professional career.”

Although there aren’t many familiar faces, even some of the new ones have their own ‘disappointment’ story to tell.

“I think it’s going to be a gritty team,” Moser said. “I think it’s going to be a team that, like I said, a lot of guys that were crushed on Selection Sunday. The portal guys were crushed too.

“Glenn Taylor at St. John’s was one of the first four out. Duke Miles, who won his league but then didn’t win the conference tournament—they had a phenomenal year, won 27 or so games and did not get in. I think we got a combination of guys who have been there and a combination of guys that are hurt—that are hurt, that are playing hurt, that are playing with that fire in their belly.”

Finding the rotation

Moser preached about the starting eight last season. Get ready to hear something very similar this season.

Except it might be deeper than eight. Because when you add a bunch of older pieces, they’ve got the experience to be able to play off the bench.

Maybe 10? Maybe, after all, 11?

“I think we’ll be able to shoot better,” Moser said. “We got to hang our hat on creating offense with our defense. I’ve said that a lot. I think we’re going to be deeper. I don’t know what my eight-man rotation is.

“Sometimes, you look at it like, ‘I know my eight-man rotation because nine, 10, 11, 12 can’t play.’ That’s the facts, sometimes. I don’t know that, because I feel right now, coaching component, at 10 or 11. Now, it’s hard to do that, but I think we’re deeper.”

Final word…

Moser on Jalon Moore and going through the NBA Draft process and returning to OU:

“He went through the process, and I’m sure he’ll talk to you about it, but he went through the process, and it was great for him to experience the process. I was 100% behind him going into the process, communicated with him the whole step of the way—actually went down and watched him through the process. He just got a great, clear picture. He was true to his word. His mother, just such a solid, unbelievable person, and everything they said was they were so pleased with how much better he got off the floor and on the floor.

“He said, ‘I’m going through this process,’ and we both told him: ‘If this process leads to you staying in it and getting drafted, I’m going to be the biggest guy to give you a hug. But if not, obviously, we want and need you back.’ He said, ‘That’s my plan; I’m coming back if I don’t get the nod that I’m going to get drafted.’ He stayed true to everything he said. He’s an unbelievable young man, and I think he’s going to do great things for us, not only at Oklahoma but beyond that because of his foundation and character.”