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Oklahoma's Keeley Parks to Miss Season

The Sooners' depth took a hit just before opening the season vs. North Carolina.
Ryan Aber|
Keeley Parks, shown during the 2025 Class 6A playoffs, will miss the 2026-27 season, Oklahoma basketball announced Monday.
Keeley Parks, shown during the 2025 Class 6A playoffs, will miss the 2026-27 season, Oklahoma basketball announced Monday. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

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Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma sophomore guard Keeley Parks suffered a non-contact knee injury during practice recently and will miss the 2026-27 season, the program announced Monday.

The 21st-ranked Sooners open their season against No. 12 North Carolina at 1:30 p.m. Monday in Paris.

Parks will undergo surgery on her knee when the team returns from France.

"We're heartbroken for Keeley," Oklahoma coach Jennie Baranczyk said in a release. "She worked so hard this offseason to get ready for the year, and it's devastating to see her season end before it begins. Our focus is on supporting her in every way possible throughout her recovery. Keeley is a competitor, and we know she'll approach this with the same determination and toughness she brings to the court every day. Our entire program is behind her, and we look forward to having her back on the floor."

Parks, a Norman native, transferred back to her hometown after playing for Kansas last seaso as a freshman.

She appeared in 16 games last season for the Jayhawks, starting nine andf averaging 5.1 points and shooting 20 of 59 (33.9%) from beyond the arc.

Parks was a two-time Gatorade State Player of the Year and was a five-star prospect coming out of Norman High where she set a program record with 1,859 career points.

As a senior for the Tigers, she averaged 25.4 points, 8.6 reboubds, 5.4 steals and 3.6 assists.

Parks was expected to be a valuable piece off the bench for the Sooners, who are coming off a 26-8 season and a second-consective Sweet 16 berth.

Sophomores Aaliyah Chavez and Keziah Lofton are expected to be Oklahoma's starting guards.

Chavez started every game as a freshman while the role ill be a new one for Lofton, who came off the bench but played in every game last season as a freshman.

The only other non-freshman guard on the roster is Kansas State transfer Jordan Speiser, who averaged 10.2 points and 3.5 rebounds as a freshman last season for the Wildcats.

Sahara Williams, Brooklyn Stewart and freshman Leelee Bell are expected to round out the starting lineup for the Sooners in their opener.

After Monday's season opener, the Sooners return home to Lloyd Noble Center for their next six games, begining with the home opener at 2 p.m. Sunday against Morgan State.

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Ryan Aber
RYAN ABER

Ryan Aber has been covering Oklahoma football for more than a decade continuously and since 1999 overall. Ryan was the OU beat writer for The Oklahoman from 2013-2025, covering the transition from Bob Stoops to Lincoln Riley to Brent Venables. He covered OU men's basketball's run to the Final Four in 2016 and numerous national championships for the Sooners' women's gymnastics and softball programs. Prior to taking on the Sooners beat, Ryan covered high schools, the Oklahoma City RedHawks and Oklahoma City Barons for the newspaper from 2006-13. He spent two seasons covering Arkansas football for the Morning News of Northwest Arkansas before returning to his hometown of Oklahoma City. Ryan also worked at the Southwest Times Record in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and the Muskogee Phoenix. At the Phoenix, he covered OU's national championship run in 2000. Ryan is a graduate of Putnam City North High School in Oklahoma City and Northeastern State University in Tahlequah.

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