NCAA Basketball: 10 best players from state of Oklahoma of last decade

2. Brady Manek – Oklahoma / North Carolina

Manek is that rare player who starred at one school and was perhaps even important after transferring. A 6’9 forward from Harrah, he spent the first four years of his career at Oklahoma, starting nearly every game for a successful Sooners program. He took advantage of the bonus year from the pandemic and transferred to North Carolina, starring for Hubert Davis’s Tar Heels that went on a legendary run in the postseason.

In each of his five collegiate seasons, Manek averaged double-digit points and at least 5 rebounds a game. He helped lead the Sooners to a pair of NCAA Tournament wins, including a 19-point effort his junior year against Missouri. He had his most productive and successful year with North Carolina, averaging 15.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, and helped lead the Tar Heels to the national title game. He had 26 points in their second-round upset over Baylor and played an important role down the stretch, including a double-double in the title game loss.

Manek was named Third Team All-Big 12 as a junior, but that final collegiate season was certainly his finest effort. He led the ACC in 3-pointers during that year, while ranking in the top 10 in the conference in scoring and rebounding. Manek was an important piece for the Sooners and developed into an even more important part of the Tar Heels’ run to the title game. He’ll play internationally in Australia next year and likely has a few more years of basketball in him.