Steve Lutz isn't exactly a patient man. You can see it in the way he stalks the sideline at Gallagher-Iba Arena, and you can definitely see it in the breakneck pace of Oklahoma State basketball recruiting over the last few months. After years of the program feeling like it was stuck in a "rebuilding" loop that never actually finished the build, the vibe in Stillwater has shifted. Fast.
It’s not just talk. The Cowboys currently boast a top-five national recruiting class for 2026. Let that sink in for a second. In a Big 12 conference that is basically a nightly street fight, Lutz has managed to convince elite high school talent that the orange and black is the place to be.
Honestly, most people expected a slow burn. Lutz took over a roster that was basically a blank sheet of paper. He spent his first year patching holes with transfers, trying to stay competitive while whispering to blue-chip recruits that something bigger was coming. It turns out they listened.
The Local Hero and the National Splash
The crown jewel of this recent surge is Jalen Montonati. If you follow Oklahoma high school hoops, you already know the name. He’s a 6-foot-7 small forward out of Owasso who has already bagged two Gatorade Player of the Year awards. He might even get a third.
But for Cowboy fans, it’s about the bloodline. Jalen is the son of Brian Montonati, a guy who played for the legendary Eddie Sutton back in the late 90s. When Jalen committed, it felt like a bridge was finally being rebuilt between the program’s storied past and its murky future. He’s a four-star prospect ranked as high as No. 44 nationally by ESPN, and he chose the Pokes over heavyweights like Kansas and Arkansas.
Then there’s Latrell Allmond.
While Montonati is the homegrown star, Allmond is the statement. A 6-foot-8 power forward from Virginia, Allmond is a physical beast who plays with an edge that Lutz clearly loves. He’s ranked No. 36 in the 2026 class. Landing a guy like that from the East Coast tells you that Lutz's connections from his days at Purdue and Creighton are paying off. Allmond had offers from Tennessee, Indiana, and Virginia. He chose Stillwater.
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Rounding out the "Big Three" of the 2026 class is Parker Robinson. He’s a 6-foot-5 guard out of the Overtime Elite program. Robinson is one of those versatile, bouncy guards who can score at all three levels. Lutz called him "sneaky athletic," which is coach-speak for "he’s going to dunk on someone and the crowd is going to lose their minds."
How the Strategy Shifted Under Steve Lutz
For a while there, Oklahoma State seemed to rely almost exclusively on the transfer portal. It was a necessity. When you lose 20 games and your roster evaporates, you don't have time to wait for a 17-year-old to develop.
But Lutz is playing a different game now. He’s blending the "now" with the "later."
The Portal Veterans
For the 2025-26 season, Lutz didn't ignore the portal. He went out and got Kanye Clary, a junior guard who previously played at Penn State and Mississippi State. Clary averaged 16 points a game in the Big Ten—that's not easy to do. He also snagged Anthony Roy, a wing who was basically a human flamethrower at Green Bay, averaging 26 points per game before an injury cut his season short.
The High School Foundation
The 2026 class is where the real vision is. By securing Montonati, Allmond, and Robinson early, Lutz has created a "gravity" effect. Other recruits see a top-five class and want to be a part of it. It’s a snowball rolling down a hill.
Lutz has been very open about his philosophy. He wants guys who fit a specific culture—tough, defensive-minded, and high-IQ. He isn't just chasing stars; he's chasing fits. He recently mentioned that he’d rather have guys take a smaller role on a winning team than overachieve on a losing one. That’s a tough sell in the NIL era, but it seems to be working.
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The NIL Elephant in the Room
We can't talk about Oklahoma State basketball recruiting without mentioning the money. College sports changed forever in 2025, and OSU had to adapt or die. The formation of the OSU NIL Alliance was the turning point.
By pairing the POSSE Excellence Fund with Learfield’s Cowboy Sports Properties, the school basically created a $31 million war chest for scholarships and revenue sharing. That’s how you keep Jalen Montonati in-state. That’s how you lure Latrell Allmond away from the ACC.
Athletic Director Chad Weiberg has been aggressive here. He knows that Gallagher-Iba Arena is a cathedral of college basketball, but the pews stay empty if the team isn't winning. NIL is the fuel, and Lutz is the driver.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Rebuild
There’s a misconception that Oklahoma State is "back" just because they have a high-ranked recruiting class. The Big 12 is a meat grinder. You can have the No. 4 class in the country and still finish middle-of-the-pack if those freshmen don't adjust to the physicality of playing against 23-year-old grown men.
Lutz’s real challenge isn't just signing these guys; it's the gap year. The 2025-26 season is the bridge. He has to win enough games with his portal-heavy roster to keep the momentum alive for when the 2026 superstars arrive.
The defense is the key. Lutz’s teams at Western Kentucky and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi were known for being pests. If he can establish that "tenacious" identity now, the transition for the younger recruits will be much smoother.
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Key Targets to Watch
While the 2026 class looks solid, the staff isn't done. They are still looking for interior depth. Keep an eye on names like:
- Miikka Muurinen: A high-upside forward with international experience.
- Alex Constanza: A versatile wing from Miami who fits the Lutz mold.
- Colben Landrew: A physical guard who can guard multiple positions.
The coaching staff, including Associate Head Coach James Miller and the legendary Keiton Page, are seemingly everywhere at once. They’ve been frequenting AAU circuits like Nike’s EYBL and the Adidas 3SSB, making sure Oklahoma State's logo is seen at every major court in the country.
Making Sense of the Rankings
It's easy to get lost in the numbers. 247Sports might have them at No. 4, while On3 or ESPN might say No. 7. Don't sweat the small differences. The reality is that Oklahoma State is currently out-recruiting blue bloods like Kentucky and North Carolina for the 2026 cycle.
That hasn't happened in Stillwater since the Cade Cunningham era. And while nobody is calling Jalen Montonati the next Cade just yet, the excitement in the air is similar.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're trying to track how this pans out, look for these three indicators over the next twelve months:
- Retention: Can Lutz keep this 2026 class together until signing day? In the modern era, verbal commitments are just the beginning of a long battle against other schools' NIL offers.
- Defensive Efficiency: Watch the KenPom rankings for the 2025-26 season. If the Pokes are in the top 50 defensively, it means the "Lutz System" is taking hold.
- In-State Domination: If OSU continues to land the top player in Oklahoma every year, the program becomes sustainable. Jalen Montonati is the test case for this.
The days of Oklahoma State being a "sleeping giant" are hopefully ending. The giant is awake, it’s got a healthy NIL budget, and it’s currently recruiting like a national powerhouse. Whether that translates to a deep March run depends on how Lutz blends his veteran transfers with these incoming high school stars. But for the first time in a long time, the path forward actually looks clear.