3 Big Things: May Edition
Yes, it’s June 2nd but lets wrap up some key take aways from the month of June, with a look ahead to the shifting high school landscape. Which should be crystallized with the ongoing summer league games and team camps.…
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Continue ReadingYes, it’s June 2nd but lets wrap up some key take aways from the month of June, with a look ahead to the shifting high school landscape. Which should be crystallized with the ongoing summer league games and team camps.
Oklahoma’s Gold Rush
The last few years has seen a spike in Oklahoma prospects involved in team USA’s junior national team set up. Bartlesville’s David Castillo David Castillo 6'1" | PG Sunrise Christian Academy (KS) | 2024 #80 Nation KS has been a frequent flyer to Team USA’s training facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Earning himself trips to Mexico in 2021 and Spain in 2022, where he would be a key part of two gold medal squads. Castillo would be gearing up for an opportunity for a third gold medal this summer but he’s currently rehabbing a foot injury suffered in late April. Last year, recent Del City grad Brandon Garrison earned a trip to Mexico with the U18 team, where he too won a gold medal.
The next Oklahoman to build his own Team USA Legacy? Owasso’s Jalen Montonati Jalen Montonati 6'7" | SF Owasso | 2026 State OK . Yesterday it was announced he made the cut for a loaded U16 team that will be competing for a FIBA Gold Medal in Mexico next week. With how deep the basketball talent pool is in the USA, especially compared to other countries, making the team is often the toughest part. It involves a week long training camp at altitude agains the nation’s best. They also don’t just select players that are ranked 1-12 for the spots. They are building a TEAM, not an all star game. With players fitting into roles and actually playing basketball that translates to college and beyond. In Montonati’s case, he’s one of the best shooters in the country. At 6 foot 7, that’s a valuable trait. Here’s to the Owasso Ram carrying on Oklahoma’s recent strong Team USA tradition, and building his own legacy.
2025 is looking BIG
With 2025 prospects turning the corner into the final two years of the high school career, the talent pool in 2025 is starting to crystalize. As a dynamic two-way guard, Carlsheon Young Carlsheon Young 6'5" | CG Midwest City | 2025 State #83 Nation OK remains at the head of the class. While some of the emerging prospects around him look to have good size and versatility, perfect for modern basketball.
Rght now there isn’t a game changing interior prospect like Brandon, Garrison who anchored the recently graduated 2023s. The class is looking to have good depth with players that fit into wing-forward concepts. Kaidon Rayfield Kaidon Rayfield 6'8" | PF Putnam City West | 2025 State #122 Nation OK had an outstanding spring with Team Griffin. Team Trae Young has put a spotlight on two eastern Oklahoma small school prospects in athletic Dakotah Terrell Dakotah Terrell 6'8" | C Pocola | 2025 State #335 Nation OK and stretch big Jax Kerr Jax Kerr 6'10" | PF Owasso | 2025 State OK (who has now transferred to Owasso). Cam Parker Cam Parker 6'6" | PF Crossings Christian | 2025 State OK a 6 foot 6 inside-outside threat and high upside Damario Adams Damario Adams 6'7" | PF Nathan Hale | 2025 State OK are more examples of the versatile depth in Oklahoma’s 2025. While active 6 foot 6 Brady Hancuff Brady Hancuff 6'6" | SF Edmond Memorial | 2025 State OK has made a huge push this spring. There’s even the Weatherford trio of CJ Nickson CJ Nickson 6'6" | SF Weatherford | 2025 State #309 Nation OK (one of the best all around Oklahoma athletes of the last decade) and the skilled and tough 6 foot 6 Sage twins.
Versatile size is a premium at the next level, and Oklahoma’s rising junior class should draw the interest of many regional D1 programs.
The High School “Transfer Portal” is Heating Up
Player movement has been a reality for Oklahoma high school basketball for the last decade, or likely longer. But in recent years similar to how the college game has changed with the transfer portal, the off season transfer rate has exploded. As mentioned above Kerr is a new face at Owasso, which is at least twitter official per Kerr’s twitter bio. Which that transfer appears to be just the tip of the iceberg for the Tulsa area.
While in the 405, seemingly every hour features a new cryptic tweet or text messages speculating about “furniture moving” (shout out to the Jackboyz aka football coaches the Whitaker twins for that terminology). Last year saw huge changes to rosters all over the OKC metro, and this year will be no different. As it’s the new normal.
Sports are becoming increasing more specialized and competitive, while the world becomes smaller thanks to modern mass communication. It makes sense that transfers happen at a faster rate due to AAU teammates linking up, or players wanting to test themselves at higher levels with improved teammates. America is one of the few places in the world where so much of youth athletic development is entwined with schooling. In other countries, professional academies are tasked with prepping the next soccer or basketball star. So, young Americans teaming up like NBA players somewhat mirrors that international system, where the importance of athletic development is acknowledged more.
At this point, “the game is the game”. Players are going to move, often times it will work out. Sometimes it might not. And the changes in rosters will come to a surface over the upcoming months, leading way to another exciting winter of Oklahoma high school basketball. It’s fair for high school coaches to feel frustrated by the changing system, but at this point the genie is out of the bottle.