Daily Bullets (February 15)

The Next Kemba?

Myron Medcalf writes: In the final weeks of the 2010-11 regular season, Connecticut lost seven of its final 11 games. Then Kemba Walker happened. The shifty guard led the Huskies to the national championship with an uncanny performance that created a perennial question: Who is the next Kemba Walker?

Then he goes on to give this answer.

Oklahoma State lost its first six Big 12 games. But the Cowboys have won five of their past six in league play and six of their past seven overall after defeating Arkansas in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. They’re the UCLA of the Big 12. Oklahoma State plays fast and occasionally emphasizes defense. It’s “The Fast and the Furious” every night. But Evans, a 6-foot-1 guard, will make money in the NBA someday.

Earlier this season, he took Oklahoma State to Morgantown, scored 18 points and fueled a win over a West Virginia squad with one of the nation’s most terrorizing defenses. His squad is hot right now. If this continues, you might see Evans kick off a Kemba Walker campaign in the NCAA tournament. [ESPN]

That sound you hear is my head exploding at the thought of OSU making a deep run into March. I should mention here that KenPom’s two most similar seasons to this year’s Evans are …

Right now @kenpomeroy's top two 2017 season comps for Jawun Evans are T.J. Ford (2003 season) and Chris Paul (2005). I'm weak.

— Pistols Firing (@pistolsguys) February 14, 2017

As the Trae Young Turns

Great inside look at Trae Young’s recruitment here. He goes through pros and cons of each team. Here he is on Oklahoma State.

Trae starts in with how much he loves “what they’re doing with Jawun (Evans).” The sophomore guard is posting 18 points, 5.5 assists and 3.2 rebounds a game this season for the Cowboys.

“Coach (Brad) Underwood really lets him play,” Trae says. “They’re winning and they’re one of the best teams in the Big 12 this year. I really like them.”

“Yeah me, too,” adds Ray. “I loved their fans; they were really supportive and they knew all about you. I think Coach Lamont (Evans) has done a great job with you, too! [USA Today]

I’m as ready as anyone for this saga to be over, but that is a really great article (also, I was wrong in our picks — it’s going to be Kansas).

More Young

Bill Haisten went to watch him play and points out that OSU has never signed an in-state McDonald’s All-American.

Young is the ninth Oklahoma high school basketball player to have been named a McDonald’s All-American. Of the eight who preceded him, four signed with OU (Wayman Tisdale, Jeff Webster, Ryan Humphrey and Blake Griffin).

Three signed with Kansas (Mike Maddox, J.R. Giddens and Xavier Henry). Rogers High School guard Lee Mayberry was the only Oklahoma McDonald’s player who didn’t become a Sooner or Jayhawk. He became an Arkansas Razorback. [Tulsa World]

More On Wozniak

Robert Allen talked to the new Pokes RB coach.

A former offensive graduate assistant at Oklahoma State under Les Miles in 2004, Wozniak won his first national title while serving in an offensive quality control role under Miles at LSU in 2007, then claimed his second as a special teams analyst under Nick Saban at Alabama in 2012.

“What I like about John is that he is a self-made guy who worked his way up and did it the hard way,” Gundy said. “He worked with us here at Oklahoma State and then went on to have success with Les Miles at LSU and with Nick Saban at Alabama. I know him and I know he’s a hard worker and that he can recruit. He’s been with people who I’m close to, so I’ve followed his path along the way and we’re excited to have him back here with us.” [Go Pokes – $]

He could have coached under Howard Schnellenberger and John Blake for all I care as long as he can recruit like Marcus Arroyo.

OSU and NCAA News

Tom Izzo comes at Dan Dakich … FloSports will stream the Big 12 championships of four sports (only two of which OSU is a part of) … How Jordan Woodard and Mike Gundy’s careers are similar.

The graphics guys at OSU are ?

Pink and orange really clash. But on #ValentinesDay you just got to do it. We had fun nonetheless! Cheese factor = ?!! #GoPokes #okstate pic.twitter.com/0Kepy9I3gi

— Forrest Buckner (@ForrestBuckner) February 15, 2017

Monster.

ESPN photo shoot today! Last go around! #okstate #cowboyup #senioryear pic.twitter.com/jMAChj9JeD

— Kyle Crutchmer (@KyleCrutchmer) February 15, 2017

Maybe the perfect tweet.

https://twitter.com/jon_wren/status/831179988737126404

What You Missed On PFB

• Mailbag on GIA noise and recruiting feedback.
• Penn State-Oklahoma State this weekend should rock.
• So Mike Yurcich was going to Alabama?
• Good stuff here on Oklahoma State’s QB battle of the future.
• Death, taxes and Baylor trying to swipe TE recruits from Stillwater.

More Stuff I’m Reading

Why Scout Media flamed out … This on Tom Brady is worth the view of the t-shirt alone.