It truly is going to be a new era of basketball at the University of Oklahoma whenever a new head coach is named. After a decade of guidance by the steady hand of Lon Kruger the Sooners are now down a head coach, a top assistant, and a handful of players including the top three scorers from last season.
Brady Manek reportedly has become the latest player to put his name in the transfer portal. The Harrah, Oklahoma native averaged 10.8 points and 5.0 rebounds last season and is apparently entering the portal as a graduate transfer.
Manek is the latest domino to fall following Lon Kruger’s retirement announcement. Leading scorer Austin Reaves has declared for the NBA Draft while guard De’Vion Harmon, who placed second on the team in scoring, is testing the NBA waters with no official decision having been made. Now, Manek completes the trifecta of Oklahoma’s top three scorers to leave the program.
Also gone are top assistant coach Carlin Hartman, who left to help guide Kruger’s son in his new gig as UNLV’s new basketball coach, as well as forward Victor Iwuakor, guard Trey Phipps (transfer to ORU), and forward Anyang Garang. Whoever fills the coaching vacancy already had some big shoes to fill and now he’ll also have some big roster spots to fill as well…a lot of them.
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