2025/2026 Roster

[soonerbornOU]

I don’t think she is a transfer. Schools in Ireland are different. She went to a secondary school which is a combination of our middle school and high school. Think Harry Potter. She will be coming in as a freshman with four years eligibility. As far as high school credits, she would just need a qualifying score on the ACT.

She has to get a VISA i assume and stuff like that is really out of the hands of the program

 

[soonerbornOU]

I also don't have much expectation of her being impactful, but I hope she surprises us and can contribute, rather than just being another body. she's a 5'11 forward, so she's undersized. We need quality over quantity, so perhaps JB sees her actually contributing.

same size as Big 12 player of the year Skylar Vann

 

[CoachTalk]

According to Google AI:
Yes, according to several sources, Eduardo Nájera spent his first year at the University of Oklahoma focused on improving his English language skills.

• He redshirted his freshman year, essentially sitting out the season to learn the language.
• Nájera needed to become proficient enough in English to achieve the required standardized test scores for eligibility to play.
• He mentions that the first year in Oklahoma was difficult, as he could understand and read English but struggled with conversation.
• Learning English was important to him and a promise made by Coach Kelvin Sampson.

I had no idea. makes me like him even more.

 

[BoulderSooner]

this is true? Ive never heard this story

yep he was a monster on the IM courts ..

Collected Wisdom: Eduardo Najera, Charlotte Bobcats forward and former OU standout

When forward Eduardo Najera arrived on the Oklahoma campus in 1995, he spoke very little English. “You mean I didn't speak any English,” the 11-year pro now says with a laugh. “It's been quite a jour…

www.oklahoman.com

this says RS but that is not really true .. he was not on the OU bball roster ..

When forward Eduardo Najera arrived on the Oklahoma campus in 1995, he spoke very little English. “You mean I didn't speak any English,” the 11-year pro now says with a laugh. “It's been quite a journey. Whew.”

A native of Meoqui, Chihuahua, Mexico, Najera redshirted his freshman season to learn the language, averaged 13.1 points and 7.2 rebounds in his four-year career at OU, was drafted 38th overall in the 2000 NBA Draft, is now with his fifth different franchise and is signed through next season with the Charlotte Bobcats.

He became only the second Mexican-born player to make an NBA roster behind Horacio Llamas and still carries the hopes and dreams of an entire country. Najera and his wife, Jennifer, have a daughter and two sons. Depending on who becomes the Sooners' next coach, Najera has expressed an interest in returning to the program someday.

 

[BoulderSooner]

here is a better story

A friend of a friend-Eduardo Najera and Kelvin Sampson April 17

One thing I have learned is that good friends have other good friends. This is a series of stories about “friends of my friends”. The post below is the story for April 17, 2015. My goal in 2015 is …

coach4aday.wordpress.com

so i guess he was a RS the second semester

Oklahoma University gave Eduardo permission to enroll as a part-time student and take two courses in English. One course focused on the language and the other was in writing. Eduardo had until December 15, 1995 to take those courses and pass the ACT. If he didn’t reach that milestone by the December date OU was not going to allow him to continue as a part-time student and he would need to attend a junior college.

Eduardo took the ACT 13 times and the first 12 times he could not get the composite score of 18 that he needed. He worked hard in his classes improved but continued to come up short. He took the 13th test on a Tuesday and had asked for expedited results. The results came on a Friday and sprinted to Coach Kelvin Sampson’s office. He rushed in and said “I passed”. Kelvin took the paper and said a prayer and he added up the scores he calculated the same result as Eduardo he had passed.

I am almost positive it was the TOEFL not the ACT

English Proficiency Requirements

The University of Oklahoma

www.ou.edu