OU goes big with Hugley

Another day, another transfer portal victory for Oklahoma basketball. For a program that needed good news, this week has provided plenty for head coach Porter Moser and staff.

Former Pittsburgh center John Hugley announced his commitment to the Sooners on Thursday afternoon, telling On3.com.

“I chose Oklahoma because it just felt like home,” Hugley told On3. “From the time Coach Porter first picked up the phone to call me, from the time I left campus, it was just all love. Coach Porter is an unbelievable coach and he loves to win and has took his teams to the highest levels.

“I also think coach does an unbelievable job with featuring his big man. I really think this team can make a really deep run come tournament time.”

As much as the staff has been aggressive with guards and wings, everybody knew the biggest priority for the Sooners was going to be in the post. Moser needed big men as fast as possible.

With Tanner Groves graduating and Jalen Hill now transferring to UNLV, there are spots galore for guys to come in and show what they can do down low.

Hugley, who is 6-foot-9 and 265 pounds, only played eight games in 2022-23, limited by a knee injury. He shut it down to recover, both physically and mentally.

But as a sophomore? Hugley put up the type of numbers in a Power Five conference that can get OU fans excited.

He averaged 14.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, playing just under 30 minutes per contest.

Hugley was one of three visitors to campus last weekend, and he becomes the first of that trio to call Norman his future home. Although it felt like OU had done well, there was a growing concern after Hugley visited Ole Miss immediately after when it hadn’t been scheduled.

Things started to trend more toward OU, though, in the last 24 hours. The last great sign was his planned visit to West Virginia being canceled.

Hugley is the second transfer addition this week, joining former Siena guard Javian McCollum, who picked OU on Wednesday.