These Oklahoma men's basketball players confirmed return to the Sooners for 2025-26

Unlike even five years ago, there's now question surrounding every player, no matter class or talent, if they will return for the next season.

Oklahoma men's basketball on Monday confirmed five players who will return to the Sooners for the 2025-26 season -- Dayton Forsythe, Jeff Nwankwo, Mohamed Wague, Jadon Jones and Kuol Atak.

OU announces five players who will return next season, including Dayton Forsythe and Mohamed Wague

Forsythe, a guard who just finished his freshman season, was the most notable name from the group, but also the least surprising. He's a local product from Dale, Oklahoma, who grew up wanting to play in crimson and cream, so he should be a Sooner his entire career, even if leadership changes at head coach one day.

This season, Forsythe averaged 4.3 points in 12.1 minutes a game, but he exploded for 25 points in a loss to Ole Miss while playing a season-high 30 minutes. He also scored double-digits in back-to-back games against Auburn and Vanderbilt.

Voice of the Sooners Toby Rowland also reported Forsythe's return Sunday night, saying Forsythe told him, "I’m not going anywhere. Never even thought about it.”

Wague was the only other player from the group who got significant playing time this past season. The 2025-26 season will be Wague's fifth year of college basketball. He got an extra year of eligibility because of the NCAA's new waiver for athletes who played at the junior college or NAIA level.

Wague started his career at Harcum College before bouncing around between West Virginia, Alabama and OU.

In his first season with the Sooners, Wague averaged 3.9 points and 3.1 rebounds. He stepped up and started at in the 5 spot down the stretch, including the postseason, after Sam Godwin was injured. Wague averaged 8.25 points as a starter.

Nwankwo and Jones were injured this season, while Atak redshirted. Although none contributed in 2024-25, they will still be valuable depth next season and three less bodies Porter Moser needs to worry about replacing from the transfer portal.

Joining those players next season so far will be Notre Dame transfer Tae Davis, and high school recruits Kai Rogers, Alec Blair and Andreas Holst.

As far as losses, the Sooners will lose 11 players from this past season's roster. Six exhausted their eligibility, four are transferring and star freshman Jeremiah Fears declared for the NBA Draft.

That leaves Moser with six roster spots to fill right now.