Oklahoma
Carmelo Anthony Dishes on Breakup Process With OKC Thunder in 2018 Offseason
The Oklahoma City Thunder pushed all-in on the 2017 offseason which netted the Bricktown boys a pair of future hall of famers in Paul George and Carmelo Anthony to retool their roster around franchise legend Russell Westbrook just one summer after Kevin Durant parted for Golden State in one of the more surprising moves in NBA history.
When the OKC Thunder made these trades to get a pair of high-level forwards, the buzz around Bricktown was palpable visions of contention danced in Thunder fans head’s as Westbrook was fresh off a historic MVP season where he willed Oklahoma City to the postseason on his own.
it is safe to say the partnership between the OKC Thunder and Anthony did not workout as the team only kept the Hall of Famer for one season where the team flamed out in the first round against the Utah Jazz, being sent home by Ricky Rubio and Donovan Mitchell in a surprising upset.
Things started out rocky as at Media Day, Anthony scoffed at the notion of coming off the bench which in hindsight would’ve maximized his role and the team. However, according to the NBA legend himself on George’s podcast this week, heading into year two the Syracuse product was willing to take on a more reduced role.
However, after a phone call with then-head coach Billy Donovan, there was no second season in Oklahoma City after all for Anthony.
“I was working with Sam [Presti], we was about to figure a deal out….Billy Donovan called me in Paris and he was like ‘We want to start developing Jerami Grant into the lineup, he is younger’, and I was like ‘Okay cool..just tell me you want me to accept that role, I am willing to work with you’, he was like ‘Nah, we don’t think it is going to work here anymore’” Anthony recounted.
As the future Hall of Famer continued to tell the story he explained how he was willing to return to Oklahoma City in a bench role behind Grant and attempt to work things out with the franchise to improve the team alongside Westbrook and George.
“I was expecting, I am coming back, I forgone free agency…I am like okay, we building something here. We got a trio, we saw what it looks like, now we have a full training camp, that is what I thought,” George explained.
According to the forwards, this move caught them off guard despite publicly the writing feeling as though it was on the wall at the time once the Jazz series concluded.
Ultimately, Grant did bloom in Oklahoma City and has since carved out a really solid career in the league. Though, the results were the same during the following postseason as Portland ousted the Thunder in the opening round of the playoffs.
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Oklahoma
Obituary for Gary John McKee at Brown's Funeral Service
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State Football’s 2025 Recruiting Class Slowly Sliding
Recruiting in college football has evolved in recent years. Finding success in the transfer portal helps determine a program’s outlook on a yearly basis — but being grounded in high school football recruiting helps determine the programs’ overall roster outlook.
For the Oklahoma State Cowboys, they typically do more with less, which has worked as head coach Mike Gundy continually leads the program to winning seasons. So, how is the program’s 2025 recruiting class looking?
The Cowboys were hot on the trail early in the new cycle, as they had a top-25 recruiting class just a couple of months ago. On Monday, the program lost a four-star recruit as quarterback Adam Schobel flipped from the Cowboys to TCU — his local team.
“I have been a TCU fan since the day I was born and when they called, I quickly realized it was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down,” Schobel posted on social media on Monday. “An opportunity to play alongside my cousin at my parent’s alma mater. With that being said, I will be signing with TCU in December!”
Now, Oklahoma State originally flipped the four-star quarterback from Baylor, but they now lose him to his hometown team. They’ve now fallen to the No. 9-ranked class in the Big 12 and No. 49 class nationally, according to 247Sports.
Oklahoma State was mounting for what could have been one of its best classes in recent history, but they’re now just looking to fill up their class as time rolls on. It’s unfortunate for Gundy and his staff to be falling behind in the recruiting world, but, as mentioned, the Cowboys typically do more with less talent on paper. However, they’re incredible at turning three-stars and underrated prospects into bonafide stars — as can be proven with running back Ollie Gordon proving to be one of the best players in the entire sport.
READ MORE: Former Oklahoma State Star James Washington Inks Deal with Atlanta Falcons
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Oklahoma
Former Oklahoma State Star James Washington Inks Deal with Atlanta Falcons
On Monday, the Falcons officially signed free agent wide receiver and former Oklahoma State star James Washington, according to a social media post from his agent.
The former Cowboy was selected in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers and spent four seasons in the Steel City. Washington tallied 1,629 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns during his time with the Steelers, notching a career-high 44 catches and 735 receiving yards in 2019.
Washington was coached by Falcons’ wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard during his final two years in Pittsburgh and will now be reunited with the former NFL wideout in Atlanta.
Following his time with the Steelers, Washington signed with the Dallas Cowboys, where he played in just two games and recorded just one target and zero catches. After a disappointing year in the Lone Star State, Washington signed offseason deals with the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints, but was cut by both teams ahead of the 2023 season.
Washington remained unsigned until now, spending last year as a free agent instead of with an NFL organization.
The Stamford, TX, product came to Stillwater as a 4-star recruit, rated the No. 245 overall prospect and No. 37 wide receiver in the nation, according to 247Sports.
In four years with the Pokes, Washington tallied 226 catches, 4,472 receiving yards and 39 touchdowns. The star wideout capped off his career with a huge senior season that saw Washington win the Biletnikoff Award and earn unanimous First Team All-American honors.
Want to join the discussion? Like AllPokes on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Cowboys news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.
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