Stormin in Norman
Fansided

Oklahoma Sooners: A Mount Rushmore of modern OU GOATs

By Chip Rouse

KEYSTONE, SD - OCTOBER 01: Mount Rushmore National Memorial towers over the South Dakota landscape on October 1, 2013 near Keystone, South Dakota. Mount Rushmore and all other national parks were closed today after congress failed to pass a temporary funding bill, forcing about 800,000 federal workers off the job. A bulletin issued by the Department of Interior states, 'Effective immediately upon a lapse in appropriations, the National Park Service will take all necessary steps to close and secure national park facilities and grounds in order to suspend all activities ...Day use visitors will be instructed to leave the park immediately...' (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
KEYSTONE, SD - OCTOBER 01: Mount Rushmore National Memorial towers over the South Dakota landscape on October 1, 2013 near Keystone, South Dakota. Mount Rushmore and all other national parks were closed today after congress failed to pass a temporary funding bill, forcing about 800,000 federal workers off the job. A bulletin issued by the Department of Interior states, 'Effective immediately upon a lapse in appropriations, the National Park Service will take all necessary steps to close and secure national park facilities and grounds in order to suspend all activities ...Day use visitors will be instructed to leave the park immediately...' (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 5
Next

Wayman Tisdale

Wayman Tisdale was arguably the greatest player to play basketball at the University of Oklahoma. His name is all over the OU men’s basketball record book.

Tisdale played for coach Billy Tubbs at Oklahoma from 1982-85. His performance on the basketball court was more than enough to catch your attention, but if that didn’t, his infectious smile was certain to do the trick.

Although he played at Oklahoma more than 30 years ago, the 6-foot, 9-inch scoring machine remains the Sooner career leader in points (2,661), rebounds (1,048), field goals (1,077), free throws (507) and free-throw attempts (767). He was the Sooners leading scorer in 76 of 104 career games, and scored a school-record 61 points in a single game as a sophomore.

Tisdale was a three-time Big 12 Player of the Year and was the only player to lead the Big Eight Conference in scoring in three consecutive years.

He was a three-time consensus All-American and was the first freshman to be named  an Associated Press First-Team All-American.

During the three years Tisdale played at Oklahoma, the Sooners were Big Eight champions twice (1983-84 and 1984-85) and compiled a record of 70-11 overall and 33-0 at home.

Tisdale was the second overall pick in the 1985 NBA Draft, selected by the Indiana Pacers. He played 12 seasons in the NBA for three different teams and averaged 15 points and six rebounds per game.

In 1997, Tisdale became the first OU athlete in any sport to have his jersey number (23) retired.

The former OU All-American also was an accomplished musician as a bass player. Even though he will always be remembered for his outstanding basketball career, music was his first love.

Tisdale was diagnosed with bone cancer (osteosarcoma) in 2007 and died two years later at the age of 44.

He was posthumously elected to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.

Home/Oklahoma Sooners