New-look Oklahoma State men's basketball showing improvements ahead of Puerto Rico trip
STILLWATER — Paddleboarding, catamaran cruising and a rainforest hike are on the itinerary for the Oklahoma State men’s basketball team during its upcoming trip to Puerto Rico.
The Cowboys will play three exhibition games against Puerto Rican professional teams from July 25-31, but the trip is as much about bonding as basketball.
Coach Steve Lutz, who spoke to reporters before a Tuesday practice in Stillwater, will issue a phone ban during some of the activities.
“That’s where you learn about your teammates,” Lutz said.
And there’s plenty to learn. OSU has only four returners from last year’s team, which went 20-15 (6-12 Big 12).
Lutz is entering Year 3 in Stillwater after spending two years at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and one at Western Kentucky. The Cowboys are 37-33 (13-25 Big 12) under Lutz, who might have his best team yet.
“We’ve got a better sense about the game of basketball,” Lutz said. “Things that maybe you’d have to coach and teach in previous years, this group picks up on very well … The basketball feel is a lot better.”
Here are a few takeaways from Tuesday, which included interviews with Lutz, guard Kanye Clary, center Benjamin Ahmed and a brief open-practice session.
Kanye Clary emerges as leader
Among the four returners — Kanye Clary, Benjamin Ahmed, Mekhi Ragland and Ryan Crotty — Clary has the most experience by far.
The fifth-year senior point guard decided to return to OSU for a second season. Clary ranked first in assists (4.6), second in minutes (28.2) and fourth in scoring (10.6) for the Cowboys last season.
“I’ve always been a loyal type of guy,” Clary said Tuesday. “If I feel like you genuinely cared about me and you wanted my best interests, I was gonna do the same for you. Steve Lutz has been that type of person for me.”
Clary, from Virginia Beach, said Stillwater feels like his “second home.”
Lutz has high expectations for Clary.
“I expect him to be one of the better point guards across the United States this year,” Lutz said. “I’m gonna be really disappointed if he’s not.”
Freshmen impressing
OSU’s 2026 recruiting class ranked eighth nationally, according to the 247Sports composite, behind Arkansas, Duke, Kansas, Michigan, Texas, Alabama and Michigan State.
Forwards Latrell Allmond and Jalen Montonati and guard Anthony Felesi were all four-star prospects. Allmond and Felesi were top-50 players nationally. Guard Parker Robinson wasn’t far off from a four-star, according to the 247Sports composite.
“All of them do things that kind of wow me,” Kanye Clary said.
It was OSU’s highest-ranked recruiting class since 2005, according to the 247Sports composite. And that 2005 class included Gerald Green, who signed with the Cowboys but never played at OSU.
The Cowboy freshmen are still getting used to Steve Lutz’s practices, which are notoriously draining.
“They’re all beat up a little bit right now,” Lutz said. “They’re freshmen. It doesn’t matter if you’re the 500th ranked player or you’re a McDonald’s All-American — it’s hard. It’s hard when a coach is not telling you that everything you’re doing is correct. It’s hard when you come across the lane and somebody lays you out, and you’ve never been hit like that before. … But they’re all wonderful human beings and they’re gonna be good basketball players.”
Allmond, a McDonald’s All-American who’s from North Carolina but went to high school in Virginia, is a good bet to play the largest role among the freshmen. The 6-foot-8 forward has an NBA frame.
Who will start for the Cowboys?
Steve Lutz hasn’t settled on a starting five.
“Oh hell no,” Lutz said. “I have no idea … We could roll out lots of different lineups, and I plan to roll out different lineups in Puerto Rico. It’s four quarters over there, it’s FIBA rules. We may start different (lineups) each quarter … Don’t mistake this, we’re going over there to compete to win, but I also want to see who plays well together.”
Here’s a guess at the starting five. One that is wildly speculative.
PG: Kanye Clary. Pencil this one in. Clary started 31 of 34 games last season.
SG: Luka Bogavac. Transferred from North Carolina, where he averaged 9.8 points per game as a regular starter. One of two players on the roster from Montenegro.
SF: Latrell Allmond. Named Mr. Basketball in Virginia, Allmond averaged 22.7 points and 10.3 rebounds as a high school senior. He’s OSU’s highest-ranked signee since Cade Cunningham.
PF: Jordan Burks. Averaged 13.3 points and 4.8 rebounds at UCF last season. This is his fourth school in four years (Kentucky, Georgetown, UCF, OSU).
C: Benjamin Ahmed. Injuries limited him to 21 games (seven starts) last season. Ahmed is noticeably leaner. Georgetown transfer Julius Halaifonua is another option here.
Kashie Natt cleared to play
… For now.
Kashie Natt, who’s fighting for a last year of eligibility, was recently granted an ex parte temporary restraining order by a Payne County judge.
Natt is practicing with the team and will make the trip to Puerto Rico.
“There will be an impending court case at some point, I just don’t know much about it,” Lutz said.
Natt was the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year last season at Sam Houston State.
Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at jmussatto@oklahoman.com. Support Joe’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: New-look Oklahoma State men’s basketball showing improvements ahead of Puerto Rico trip
