OU men's basketball roster tracker: Joe Bamisile receives waiver for immediate eligibility
Justin MartinezNORMAN — The OU men's basketball team confirmed Wednesday that junior guard Joe Bamisile has been granted a waiver from the NCAA and is eligible for the 2022-23 season.
Bamisile is a 6-4 guard who transferred from George Washington. He averaged 16.3 points and 5 rebounds per game last season.
Bamisile is a two-time transfer who required an NCAA waiver to play at OU. He began his career at Virginia Tech before transferring to George Washington in 2021.
OU is expected to start Bamisile in the backcourt alongside Grant Sherfield, a Nevada transfer who received a waiver to become immediately eligible in July.
Here's a list of the rest of OU's roster changes this offseason. This article will be updated with any new developments.
Outgoing transfers
Alston Mason
Alston Mason was the first high school signee of the Moser era last offseason, and he became the first player to enter the portal on April 4. He then announced his commitment to Missouri State on April 22.
The 6-1 freshman saw limited time on the court in his lone season with OU. He averaged 1.4 points and 0.4 rebounds in 6.2 minutes per game.
Mason joins a Missouri State team that suffered an 89-72 loss to OU in the opening round of the NIT on March 15.
The Bears should an opening at point guard next season following the departure of star floor general Isiaih Mosley, who transferred to Missouri in June.
More:OU assistant David Patrick leaves program to become Sacramento State men's basketball head coach
Akol Mawein
After becoming the second Sooner to enter the portal on April 7, Akol Mawein committed to Sacramento State on April 19.
Mawein joins former OU associate head coach David Patrick, who finalized a deal to become Sacramento State's head coach on April 5. Mawein is a native of Sydney, Australia, while Patrick was named an assistant coach in 2019 to the Australian men's national basketball team.
Ranked as the top Juco power forward for 2021, Mawein never carved out a consistent role with OU last season. The 6-8 junior averaged 1.2 points and 1.1 rebounds in 3.7 minutes per game.
Mawein flashed his potential when he did see some action. He averaged 5.5 points and four rebounds in 13.5 minutes per contest during a two-game stretch against Kansas and Baylor in late January but went the rest of the season without logging double-digit minutes in a game.
'I wanted to give it my all': Umoja Gibson goes down shooting in OU's season-ending loss to St. Bonaventure
Elijah Harkless
A major hit to OU's rotation came on April 11 when Harkless entered the portal as a grad transfer. One week later, Harkless found a new home.
The 6-3 guard announced his commitment to UNLV on April 18. Harkless will play for former Sooners coach Lon Kruger's son, Kevin.
Harkless averaged 10 points and 4.1 rebounds in 29 minutes per game last season, although his campaign got cut short when he suffered a season-ending injury on Feb. 18.
In addition to being a two-way player, Harkless was a crucial piece for the Sooners because of his ability to move around the lineup. The 6-foot-3 guard played positions 2-4, which made life easier on an OU squad that lacked wing depth.
Addressing that issue on the wing will be a top priority for the Sooners following the departure of Harkless and the graduation of Marvin Johnson, a 6-5 guard who emerged as a spark plug off the bench during postseason play.
Rick Issanza
Rick Issanza became the fourth OU player to enter the transfer portal on April 11. He then transferred to Loyola Marymount on May 9.
The 7-1 center averaged 0.7 points and 0.8 rebounds in 4.1 minutes per game last season as a sophomore. Issanza showed glimpses of his shot-blocking ability, although he struggled to generate offense and only attempted a total of eight shots.
Issanza briefly entered the transfer portal last June, but he continued to practice with the Sooners and ultimately withdrew his name from the portal the following month.
Regardless of if Issanza leaves this time around, OU needs to address its depth at the five. Tanner Groves is expected to return, but the Sooners watched backup big man Ethan Chargois graduate this offseason.
More:Why Porter Moser's debut season ending in NIT is a building block for OU basketball
Umoja Gibson
Gibson announced via Twitter on April 15 that he would go through the NBA Draft process with the intent of returning to OU if he does choose to continue his college career.
On April 27, he opted to enter the portal as a grad transfer. Gibson then announced his commitment to DePaul on May 18.
OU is left with a large hole to fill in the scoring department. Gibson is a 6-1 guard who averaged 13.3 points per game on 39% shooting from the floor last season.
The Sooners don't have much perimeter scoring without Gibson. Excluding the veteran guard, OU shot just 32.8% from 3-point range last season.
In addition to being a sharpshooter, Gibson served as the heart and soul of the Sooners. Players and coaches hailed him as the team's hardest worker, and he rounded out his game to become a bigger threat off the dribble.
With Goldwire and Harkless no longer in the mix, OU will be without three of its five starters from last season.
Incoming transfers
Sam Godwin
OU made its first addition on April 9 when Wofford transfer Sam Godwin agreed to be a walk-on.
The 6-9 forward averaged 6.3 points and 3.1 rebounds in 13.3 minutes per game last season as a sophomore. He shot 59.1% from inside the arc and recorded a block rate of 2.2, which ranked second on the team.
A Moore native, Godwin earned 2020 Oklahoma All-State honors in his senior season at Southmoore High School. He showed good shot selection last season at Wofford, although he struggled to stay on the court because he committed a team-high six fouls per 40 minutes.
Godwin should provide solid frontcourt depth behind the likes of Tanner Groves and Jalen Hill, assuming the duo stays intact.
Joe Bamisile
OU secured a commitment from Bamisile on April 11.
The 6-4 guard averaged 16.3 points and five rebounds per game last season as a sophomore. His strong campaign earned him a spot on the Atlantic 10's All-Conference third team.
Bamisile is a crafty ballhandler who can score at all three levels. He shot 53.3% from inside the arc and 35.1% from deep, which helped him rank second on the Colonials in effective field goal percentage (53%).
Bamisile also uses his athleticism to his advantage on defense. He regularly attacks the glass and is capable of blocking shots.
Bamisile should provide a strong scoring punch for OU, which is necessary following the departure of Gibson.
Grant Sherfield
OU found its floor general on May 25 when it landed Sherfield.
The 6-2 guard averaged 19.1 points, 6.4 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game as a junior last season. He declared for the NBA Draft on April 7 but decided to return to college.
Sherfield is a shifty guard who is strong enough to finish through contact at the rim, and he frees himself up in the midrange with good shot elevation. He also boasts great passing vision and a willingness to crash the glass.
Sherfield's ceiling is limited by his average athleticism and average 3-point shooting. He shot 33.3% from distance last season.
Despite not being the most explosive guard, Sherfield's well-rounded game fills multiple needs for OU. The Sooners are looking for a floor general following the departure of Goldwire and a shot creator following the departure of Gibson.
Sherfield received a waiver to become immediately eligible on July 20. He and Bamisile should form one of the better scoring backcourts in the Big 12.
Yaya Keita
OU secured a commitment from Missouri transfer Yaya Keita on June 18.
A 6-8 forward, Keita averaged 1.2 points and 1.2 rebounds in 6.8 minutes per game as a freshman last season. He is a former three-star recruit.
Keita only appeared in 21 games after suffering a left knee injury that required surgery in February. This came after he suffered a torn ACL in his right knee that sidelined him as a senior at De Smet Jesuit High School in his hometown of St. Louis.
Keita is most effective on offense when rolling to the rim, and he provides solid rim protection. Athleticism is the big man's biggest strength, although injuries have prevented him from rounding out his game.
Incoming recruits
Otega Oweh
Otega Oweh became the first commit for OU's Class of 2022 on Oct. 1, 2021.
The 6-5 shooting guard is a four-star prospect from Blairstown, New Jersey who ranks 72nd in the ESPN 100. He chose OU over more than two dozen other offers.
Oweh uses his strength to brush off contact on his way to the rim. He's also a capable shooter from behind the arc and a versatile defender.
Adjusting to the physicality of the Big 12 shouldn't be an issue for Oweh, who will be a valuable piece to OU if he can continue to improve his ballhandling and jump shot.
The Sooners are in need of depth at the two following Gibson's decision to enter the portal and the graduation of Johnson.
Milos Uzan
Milos Uzan joined OU's Class of 2022 on Oct. 17, 2021.
The 6-4 point guard is a consensus four-star prospect from Glendale, Arizona who ranks 53rd in the ESPN 100. He chose OU over offers from California, UNLV, Utah and numerous other programs.
Uzan is a strong facilitator, but he's also capable of creating for himself. The three-level scorer is a constant threat with the ball in his hands.
Despite not being the strongest player, Uzan finds ways to impact the game on defense as well. He's an active defender who regularly gets into passing lanes.
Uzan provides point guard depth for an OU team that is lost Goldwire to graduation this offseason.
Benjamin Schroder
Benjamin Schroder committed to OU on Oct. 20, 2021.
The 6-8 forward is a promising international prospect. He averaged 16.6 points and 5.8 rebounds on 71% shooting from the floor at the 2021 FIBA U18 European Challengers for Germany.
Schroder is a crafty ball handler who thrives in transition. He's capable of knocking shots down from deep, but he prefers to put the ball on the deck and finish at the rim.
Schroder provides wing depth for an OU team that watched Harkless transfer to UNLV on April 18.
Luke Northweather
OU added to its freshman class on April 29 with the commitment of Luke Northweather.
The 6-11 forward from Jefferson City, Missouri is a consensus three-star prospect. He chose OU over Missouri and Wisconsin.
Northweather dominated in his senior season at Blair Oaks. High School. He averaged 29 points and 11 rebounds per game as a senior at Blair Oaks High School, which led to him being selected as the Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year.
Northweather is more than a big body in the paint. He doesn't shy away from putting the ball on the deck, and he knocks down 3-point shots with confidence.
OU's frontcourt is in need of more size. The Sooners watched Issanza enter the transfer portal on April 11, and Mawein followed Patrick to Sacramento State on April 19.
Justin Martinez can be reached at jmartinez@oklahoman.com or @JTheSportsDude on Twitter. Make sure to subscribe to The Oklahoman to stay up to date with all local sports.