2025-26 Season

[pnkranger]

Not surprising. Sad because I think he has some opportunity long term in basketball.

But my guess is that he’s seeing the writing on the wall.

 

[WichitaSooner]

Alec Blair is no longer on the basketball team per Brody Lusk. Will focus on baseball instead. Anyone have any insight on what happened?? Seems really odd

I’d guess he came to the realization that baseball is where his future lies and spending time playing basketball only hurts his chances. I was only off in my prediction that he’d never play a game for OU hoops by a couple minutes of garbage time action lol. As an OU basketball fan, it’s a bummer, but not surprising. He’s doing what is best for his future.

 

[Moneyball]

With Porter obviously not redshirting him, then saying in the post game that they never intended to redshirt because they are going to need him, it just seems like really odd timing. So weird but hopefully the right choice for him long term. I bet he wishes he went to the draft now

 

[WichitaSooner]

With Porter obviously not redshirting him, then saying in the post game that they never intended to redshirt because they are going to need him, it just seems like really odd timing. So weird but hopefully the right choice for him long term. I bet he wishes he went to the draft now

Exactly right on the last point. Very, very few kids who would be high drafts choose college. Seems the only reason he did was because he thought he could legitimately play both at a high level. I’d guess he would like a mulligan on that one.

Just read the article saying he informed the team via text. I know it’s not an easy thing to do for an 18-year-old kid, but that seems pretty weak.

Not that I expected much from him this year, but this is why I say every October that people get way too giddy about our so-called depth. If Rodgers doesn’t play Saturday, we will be dressing 8 scholarship players.

 

[The_Banker]

I broke down how many times basketball and baseball overlapped last season. Showing how skeptical I was it had a chance of working. Just really weird on timing because he got time during both scrimmages and the opener. Sucks for Porter.

 

[Boom Soon]

I broke down how many times basketball and baseball overlapped last season. Showing how skeptical I was it had a chance of working. Just really weird on timing because he got time during both scrimmages and the opener. Sucks for Porter.

Not sure why he was a scholarship player in the first place. Has there ever been a baseball and basketball player make it work at OU? Sucks because OU could have got a depth piece in the offseason from the portal with Blair’s scholarship.

 

[Moneyball]

Eddie says that the basketball staff isn’t happy about this

 

[WichitaSooner]

I broke down how many times basketball and baseball overlapped last season. Showing how skeptical I was it had a chance of working. Just really weird on timing because he got time during both scrimmages and the opener. Sucks for Porter.

I do feel bad for the staff but on the other hand, it was a huge gamble that this would work. And it was especially risky when you had to know there was a good chance Holst was going to redshirt.

 

[BoulderSooner]

I’d guess he came to the realization that baseball is where his future lies and spending time playing basketball only hurts his chances. I was only off in my prediction that he’d never play a game for OU hoops by a couple minutes of garbage time action lol. As an OU basketball fan, it’s a bummer, but not surprising. He’s doing what is best for his future.

I don't have an issue with him stepping away from basketball .. but how he did it was not good ..

missed practice and let the team know by text ..

 

[Boom Soon]

I do feel bad for the staff but on the other hand, it was a huge gamble that this would work. And it was especially risky when you had to know there was a good chance Holst was going to redshirt.

Depending on the injured guys, I don’t think Holst can redshirt this year. They may need him.

 

[WichitaSooner]

I don't have an issue with him stepping away from basketball .. but how he did it was not good ..

missed practice and let the team know by text ..

Also, doing it now is just not cool. He could have made this decision any time over the summer and the staff would have had a chance to at least try and find someone to replace him. If he couldn’t even make it past the first game without stepping away, it seems clear he was obviously on the fence all along, despite Coach and some of the others mocking me when I questioned whether Blair would ever play for us. So either make the decision earlier, or, once you didn’t, then stick it out through this season.

It struck me as very odd that he was playing fall ball the same weekend he was traveling to Wisconsin to play the exhibition game. That was another sign to me that baseball was his clear priority.

 

[WichitaSooner]

Depending on the injured guys, I don’t think Holst can redshirt this year. They may need him.

Maybe not now, but I’d guess that was the initial plan. And even if he doesn’t redshirt, he probably won’t contribute much. I also wonder what the “he hasn’t been cleared” comment means.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

despite Coach and some of the others mocking me when I questioned whether Blair would ever play for us.

well...he did

 

[BoulderSooner]

Not sure why he was a scholarship player in the first place. Has there ever been a baseball and basketball player make it work at OU? Sucks because OU could have got a depth piece in the offseason from the portal with Blair’s scholarship.

there are now 15 scholarships .. so that wasn't not really an issue ..

and blair was a top 100 (actually higher) recruit .. so of course he was getting a scholarship ..

 

[snydrosooner]

Not sure why he was a scholarship player in the first place. Has there ever been a baseball and basketball player make it work at OU? Sucks because OU could have got a depth piece in the offseason from the portal with Blair’s scholarship.

Ryan minor. Not sure if I know of any others at OU. Bookout? I know he did track but he was good baseball as well in high school.

 

[NickZepp]

Ryan minor. Not sure if I know of any others at OU. Bookout? I know he did track but he was good baseball as well in high school.

Bookout's brother Casey was on the baseball team. The problem now is you need to be one or the other to be as competitive as you need to be. And both seasons intersect in Feb-April. Even having football/baseball guys is hard.

Ryan Minor did it in a different era. Not sure he could choose to do both now.

 

[cmdsooner]

I don't have an issue with him stepping away from basketball .. but how he did it was not good ..

missed practice and let the team know by text ..

I have plenty of issue with him stepping away unless he’s got some legitimate reason. You made the decision to do this, knowing what the commitment would be. If you want to re-evaluate next offseason, fine. Quitting after game one is just cowardly, without even mentioning how it was handled. Kid needs to grow up.

 

[sooner333]

With Porter obviously not redshirting him, then saying in the post game that they never intended to redshirt because they are going to need him, it just seems like really odd timing. So weird but hopefully the right choice for him long term. I bet he wishes he went to the draft now

I figured he wasn't redshirting because there was no point to doing so given his baseball prospects (i.e., wouldn't be here five years). But, the whole thing is odd for sure.

 

[cvangild]

When Jones comes back (I know I know), Blair was likely the 11th guy. I assume he realized that and that it was too much to take on, for very limited minutes. Assuming we don’t have any significant injuries, this doesn’t impact the team this season. It also opens up a ship to possibly add someone even better in the future. Not showing up for practice and “texting” the team is extremely bush league though. My kid would NOT have handled it that way.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

I have plenty of issue with him stepping away unless he’s got some legitimate reason. You made the decision to do this, knowing what the commitment would be. If you want to re-evaluate next offseason, fine. Quitting after game one is just cowardly, without even mentioning how it was handled. Kid needs to grow up.

I don't think we are really privy to know the details.
Maybe he was pretty open with Moser and the team that he was going to try both but if it became too much he would side with baseball