SoonerScoop video: Porter Moser's best month at OU?

Nobody wants to give into hyperbole, but that was a huge month for OU basketball. Perhaps, just perhaps, a program-defining month for head coach Porter Moser and company.

Most thought the OU roster was set after Jeff Nwankwo committed. But boy have things changes, especially in the Name, Image, Likeness era.

First, Nwankwo tears his Achilles during summer workouts. A pretty big blow, especially with OU sources saying Nwankwo was killing it before the injury.

And then, well, we’re not done with the roster. Enter Jeremiah Fears. A borderline five-star prospect for the 2025 class was reclassifying to 2024 and opening things back up.

It took a couple of weeks, but Moser and staff never went away. And boom, Fears committed to OU less than two weeks ago. Arguably, the biggest win for Moser on the recruiting or transfer portal trail.

Will Fears end up as the missing piece? The one that gets the Sooners over the hump and into the NCAA Tournament? Time will tell.

However, Nwankwo being out meant Moser continued to look around. Enter Glenn Taylor Jr., formerly of St. John’s and Oregon State.

Then the 2025 class got started with mega-two-sport star Alec Blair. It was one heck of a month for Moser in setting up the present and the future.

It’s time to check in and answer the question a lot of OU fans have. Um, who are these guys? Let’s get you acquainted with the transfer additions for the Sooners.

OU portal signees

Jeff Nwankwo, F, Cowley County (juco) (2 years)

The line: 18.6 ppg, 7.0 rebs, 1.1 assts, 1.4 steals, 0.2 blocks, 49% FG, 37% 3-pt, 74% FT

Nwankwo tore his Achilles during summer workouts. He has already had surgery. However, Nwankwo is expected to miss the entire season.

Glenn Taylor Jr., F, St. John’s (1 season)(not signed)

Taylor has played the last three seasons at Oregon State and St. John’s. Taylor averaged 4.4 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game last season with the Red Storm. He shot 45 percent from the field, including 42 percent from 3-point territory. Taylor averaged just under 12 points as a sophomore with the Beavers in the 2022-23 season.

Mohamed Wague, F/C, Alabama (1 season)

The line: 3.1 ppg, 2.5 rebs, 0.5 assts, 0.5 blocks, 0.5 steals, 63% FG, 50% 3-pt, 75% FT

Now you know the combo. It’s going to be Sam Godwin and Wague at the center position for OU to go along with Luke Northweather and Jalon Moore. Size and athletic ability has clearly been what OU has been aiming for in the portal. Wague gives them both if he can play at a high level. Wague was a three-star recruit by On3 for the transfer rankings. A legitimate 6-foot-10, it will be interesting if OU can get more offensive production from Wague than what he has shown.

Duke Miles, G, High Point (2 seasons)

The line: 17.5 ppg, 2.4 rebs, 3.5 assts, 0.2 blocks, 1.3 steals, 53% FG, 36% 3-pt, 80% FT

This is the type of win OU fans had been waiting for, hoping for. The kind of portal win that resonates and gets people fired up. Miles is a top-100 transfer prospect, and the way it came together? Just didn’t sound like OU. He’s an Alabama kid, who had just finished his Auburn visit Wednesday. Here comes OU in from like the backdoor in the 11th hour to steal someone else’s hometown kid. The Sooners had certainly seen that a time or two or three during this cycle. Miles is a perfect combo guard and brings a lot to the table.

Brycen Goodine, G, Fairfield (1 season)

The line: 13.9 ppg, 3 rebs, 1.4 assts, 0.3 blocks, 0.8 steals, 50% FG, 47% 3-pt, 76% FT

That is not a misprint. Goodine shot 47 percent from 3-point territory and is a volume shooter. You can see how OU is attempting to spread the floor a lot more. Goodine averaged more than five 3-pointers attempted per game and shot at that clip. He had scoring games of 40 points and 37 points last season. Goodine had four games of making at six 3-pointers. From Syracuse to Providence to Fairfield now to OU. Definitely will bring the experience, and OU fans will be hoping he’ll bring that type of shooting one more season.

Jadon Jones, G, Long Beach State (1 season)

The line: 12.1 ppg, 3.3 rebs, 1.6 assts, 1.8 steals, 1.0 blocks, 42% FG, 38% 3-pt, 85% FT

OU is focusing hard on two-way players. Looking for the 3-and-D type of player. Jones checks those boxes (now signed), a former Defensive Player of the Year in the Big West. Jones connected on 77 3-pointers last season, shooting the 38 percent rate. The 77 makes? That’s 23 more than the most by an OU player last year (Javian McCollum, 54). Jones is one of nine players ever in the NCAA in the last 30 years to have at least 60 steals, more than 30 blocks and make at least 75 3-pointers in a season. He joins the likes of Shane Battier, Kevin Durant, Danny Green, among others.

Kobe Elvis, G, Dayton (1 season)

The line: 9.4 ppg, 2.4 rebs, 3.5 assts, 0.6 steals, 38% FG, 37% 3-pt, 85% FT

If nothing else, Elvis becomes the first player on the team with NCAA Tournament experience. Elvis was part of a Dayton squad that reached the second round of the Big Dance last month. He has plenty of experience and averaged nearly 30 minutes per game. Elvis is someone who knows how to operate in a ball-screen offense. A solid, complementary piece.