Former Oklahoma State Star Tabbed as Breakout Candidate in 2025-26

Oklahoma State has had plenty of changes over the past couple of years, including losing some high-profile players to the transfer portal.

Cowboy basketball appears to be on the right track after Steve Lutz led the Cowboys within a game of .500 in his first season at the helm. Coming into his first year as the head coach in Stillwater, Lutz had a shortened window to go after players in the transfer portal and little hopes of bringing back Cowboys who had already entered.

Despite the circumstances, his team showed clear improvement over the 12-20 squad from a season before and has the program looking solid for the future. Still, his arrival in 2024 came after the Cowboys lost almost all of their meaningful contributors from the previous season.

Among the players who made their way out of Stillwater as the team changed coaches was Eric Dailey Jr. The freshman forward was in and out of the starting lineup for Mike Boynton in his lone season with OSU, but he showed some potential to form a star frontcourt with Brandon Garrison for the future before each found new homes ahead of their sophomore years.

In a recent preview for the 2025-26 season, CBS Sports’ Isaac Trotter named Dailey as a top breakout candidate for next season as he heads into his junior year and second at UCLA.

Last season, Dailey started all 33 games for the Bruins, averaging 11.4 points and four rebounds. He showed some improvement on his outside shot, shooting 37.8% from beyond the arc on an increased 2.7 attempts per game.

With his efficiency and shooting touch improving in his first year with the Bruins, there is some clear potential for another leap for Dailey as a junior. A perfect mold at the four in the modern era, Dailey’s versatility on both ends makes him one of the most crushing departures for Cowboy basketball in the transfer portal era.

Still, as Lutz builds his ideal roster, Dailey might not have fit in anyway. In any case, Dailey has a chance to prove his worth and continue a successful career outside of Stillwater.