We continue our recruit and return series with the Oklahoma Sooners, whose season ended with an opening round loss to Rhode Island. Here's a look at what the 2018-19 season could hold:
Possible 2018-19 starting five
Who is lost: Only the nation’s leader in scoring and assists, assuming he declares for the NBA draft as expected. Freshman phenom Trae Young captivated the basketball world through the first few weeks of the season, drawing accolades from NBA stars such as LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and Stephen Curry. But Young’s luster faded a bit as the Sooners cratered in Big 12 play. Even so, Young is a tremendous talent who is virtually impossible to replace.
Who is added: The Sooners have a commitment from four-star shooting guard Jamal Bieniemy out of Katy, Texas. Bieniemy picked Oklahoma over Creighton, Houston, LSU and Oklahoma State. At 6-foot-4, Bieniemy has good size and the wingspan to develop into a premier wing defender. His offensive game, however, is still coming along, and at 175 pounds, he might need time to develop physically before he’s ready to contribute. Juco swingman Kur Kuath also is on the way. The Sooners desperately need to add a juco or graduate transfer point guard to help absorb the loss of Young. Otherwise, they’ll be leaning on the inexperienced Shepherd -- and not much else -- while waiting for 2019 ESPN 60 point guard De'Vion Harmon to arrive.
What it means for next season: Without Young, Oklahoma probably is headed back to rebuilding mode, even with four starters back. The Sooners, after all, went 11-20 last season before Young arrived. More consistent outside shooting from the likes of rising sophomore Brady Manek and James would go a long way in buoying the offense as Oklahoma begins the search for a new primary playmaker.
Trending: Down. Two months ago, the Sooners looked like a threat to chase a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament and Kansas for a Big 12 title. Now they look like a team headed to the bottom of a very rugged conference.