Porter Moser has taken the Sooners to three straight 20-win seasons but perhaps not quite the progress that many were expecting. Oklahoma fell just shy of the NCAA Tournament this past year after getting there in 2025, though the Sooners have yet to finish Top 10 in the SEC since joining the league in 2024. Moser is hoping year three is a great step forward as conference contenders, though that’s much easier said than done in this talented league.
It certainly doesn’t help matters that the Sooners lost significant talent this offseason, namely Tae Davis, Nijel Pack, and Mohamed Wague among others. Things could possibly change with these recent court rulings, but at least the Sooners do return a pair of studs from last season. Xzayvier Brown is back to run the point after a brilliant junior season while Derrion Reid is back in the frontcourt, with both averaging at least 11 points a game last year.
Some notable newcomers will certainly help that quest to get back to the Big Dance. On the recruiting trail, the staff grabbed a pair of 4-stars in Quincy Wadley and Gage Mayfield and both have intriguing potential ahead. Among more experienced additions, the transfer haul included Utah Valley guard Tyler Hendricks, Oregon State big man Yaak Yaak, and the presumed starting small forward in Khani Rooths out of Louisville.
Another presumed starter coming out of the portal is a very familiar name in Pop Isaacs. A 6-2 guard from Las Vegas, Isaacs is a former Top 75 prospect who’s had quite the eventful college journey. He was a full-time starter in Texas Tech’s backcourt for his first two seasons, averaging 15.8 points and 3.5 assists in his sophomore season. Isaacs spent his next year at Creighton but went down injured after just 8 games. Last year at Texas A&M he just wasn’t the same player and spent much of the year coming off the bench for the Aggies.
Over the last four years, Oklahoma has gotten plenty of looks at Isaacs and they know exactly what kind of player he can be when healthy. His long-range game has come together over the last few seasons but it’s all about if he can put it together and be a star guard for the Sooners when they need him most. After all, he’s now nearly two years removed from that hip injury.
If everything goes according to plan, then Oklahoma has a really talented backcourt duo in Brown and Isaacs that is going to win them some games this year. Throw in Reid in the frontcourt and some of those other new pieces and the Sooners quietly have put together a pretty interesting starting five. A lot of that potential depends on Isaacs becoming the player he once was at Texas Tech, but if that’s the case then we’ll probably see Moser and company dancing again in March.
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