Oklahoma men's basketball lands major need with first transfer portal target of 2025

Porter Moser's roster rebuild for the Oklahoma Sooners' next season has officially begun.

Forward Tae Davis on Monday morning announced on social media that he committed to the Sooners out of the transfer portal. Davis, a junior, had spent the last two seasons at Notre Dame.

Davis is OU's first portal addition so far this offseason, but expect many more to come.

Former Notre Dame forward Tae Davis joining Sooners

Davis made his choice to transfer after testing the NBA Draft waters as a 6-foot-9 forward. Last season with Notre Dame, he averaged 15.1 points and 5.3 rebounds while starting every game.

The Sooners were in major need of big men down low, even before losing so many to the transfer portal and eligibility. Last season's starting forwards Jalon Moore and Sam Godwin both exhausted their eligibility. Moore was OU's leading rebounder, averaging 5.8 a game. Godwin averaged 5.2.

OU will also return 6-foot-10 forward/center Mohamed Wague, who filled in for Godwin down the stretch when Godwin was sidelined with an injury.

After eligibility losses, the Sooners then lost three more forwards to the transfer portal, including Luke Northweather, Yaya Keita and Jacolb Fredson-Cole. None contributed much, if at all, last season, but still had the potential to add valuable depth down low next season.

The Sooners, though, already needed more size and talent even before what they lost at the end of the season. OU struggled throughout the season against a physical SEC, especially with pulling in boards and giving up second-chance points.

OU will still need more big men, but Davis is definitely a solid start and should immediately be inserted into the Sooners' starting lineup.

Last year was Davis' breakout season after averaging 9.2 points and 5.1 rebounds in 2023-24. He spent his freshman season at Seton Hall, where he started only twice and averaged less than three points and rebounds a game.