It started with Oklahoma State men’s basketball coach Steve Lutz sitting on a horse with a cowboy hat and pointing his fingers in the air as if he was holding a pistol.
That’s how Lutz has chosen to announce when his program lands a new addition on social media. Shortly thereafter, everyone found out just what Lutz had done in the transfer portal.
Advertisement
Former UCF forward Jordan Burks announced his transfer to the Cowboys over the weekend per a report from On3.com, a significant get for a program that won 20 games a year ago and only had one or two scholarships left to give for next season.
Just how big a get was it for OSU? Well, it had ramifications on what could be the Cowboys’ starting five next season.
G: Kayne Clary, 6-0
Clary is one of the few returning players from last year’s team it should take a lot to bump him from the starting lineup. He started 31 of his 34 games and was Oklahoma state’s third-best 3-point shooter with 44 made 3-pointers and a 35.5% clip from deep. He averaged nearly three rebounds per game and led the team in assists with 4.6 per game.
Advertisement
Clary knows Oklahoma State’s offensive system, is a capable passer, a solid shooter and will help the transfers get acclimated to the system quickly. Barring an injury, he should be the starting point guard on opening night. He may also be the only holdover in the starting lineup.
G: Kashie Natt, 6-3
It’s a messy backcourt situation going into the summer, but that could be a good thing. Between Jacob Walker, Andrija Grbovic and Luka Bogavac the Cowboys have four transfer options to choose from to pair with Clary. On paper, it’s hard to go wrong with any of them.
So why does Natt get the nod? The rebounding. He averaged 8.3 boards per game for the Sam Houston Bearkats last year and it’s hard to find a guard that can rebound that well and still average double figures (10.8 ppg). He also shot 38% from the arc, slightly better than the other three on the list. It is going to be a huge competition for the starting spot. All four will play early and often. But Natt gives OSU something the other three can’t and that gives him the nod for now.
Advertisement
F: Latrell Allmond, 6-8
Petersburg Crimson Wave forward Latrell Allmond. | Jonah Hinebaugh/Naples Daily News/USA Today Network-Florida / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Lutz has one of the best incoming freshmen classes of 2026 and Allmond probably has the best chance to start coming out of the gate. The Top 30 player in the country was a McDonald’s All-American who is coming to OSU as a 19-year-old with a reputation for having improved his outside shot and his ability to slash to the basket.
The transfer portal action left the Cowboys without a true wing that can drive capably to the basket and post up. Starting a true freshman isn’t always ideal, but there were plenty of good examples in the Big 12 last year of freshmen excelling, including BYU’s A.J. Dybantsa, Kansas‘ Darryn Peterson and the Arizona duo of Koa Peat and Brayden Burries. Allmond could fit that mold.
Advertisement
F: Jordan Burks, 6-9
The 6-foot-9 forward was a starter for the Knights last season and averaged 13.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. He was one of the conference’s best free-throw shooters and shot 37.3% from the arc. He was about a point outside of being one of the Top 25 scorers in the conference last season and could have made a case for all-Big 12 honorable mention. He was UCF’s third-leading scorer.
This will be his fourth different school. He started his career at Georgetown, followed by a year at Kentucky and a year at UCF. With experience in three different high-major conference, he’s a valuable addition to the starting lineup. There is little chance of him sitting to start the season.
Advertisement
While it’s possible Lutz could decide to go with a smaller starting five, it’s hard to imagine he would pass on having the former Georgetown seven-footer in his starting lineup from the jump. Given Oklahoma State’s relative lack of experience in the front court, landing Halaifonua, a Top 50 transfer portal player, was an under-the-radar coup.
He averaged 10 points in 20 minutes per game for the Hoyas and shot 61% from the floor. The Cowboys are going to need more rebounding out of him. He only averaged 4.4 per game a season ago. But his 40-minute averages of 20 points and eight rebounds, along with his offensive efficiency, could have a significant impact.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/oklahomastate as Projecting Oklahoma State Starting Five After Jordan Burks Commitment.
