Jalen Montonati's Commitment Means Everything for Oklahoma State
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Oklahoma State’s latest commitment might swing the program in the right direction.
On Thursday, OSU landed four-star forward Jalen Montonati out of Owasso. The No. 1 player in Oklahoma, Montonati has already made a name for himself in the state and is set to continue his career in Stillwater.
“This next chapter of my life, I’ve decided that I will be committing to Oklahoma State University,” Montonati said in his announcement on CBS Sports. “Go Pokes!”
Set for his official visit in Stillwater this weekend, Montonati will get his first taste of Cowboy culture under Steve Lutz since committing. Lutz will be entering his third season at the helm by the time Montonati arrives, and that arrival could easily be the start of something special in Stillwater.
Coming off a junior season where he won Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year, Montonati is ready for another big season before heading to Stillwater. As one of the most talented players in the 2026 class, Montonati’s feel for the game and his basketball IQ could easily set him apart when he steps foot in Gallagher-Iba Arena.
Jalen Montonati's College Decision Looms: Will Cowboy Legacy Win Out? https://t.co/LC7W6ksLfz
— OK State on SI (@OKStateOnSI) September 24, 2025
This could be the catalyst for a big-time turnaround in Stillwater. Since Lutz took over before the 2024-25 season, there was a clear shift in the direction of the program.
While Mike Boynton was certainly a great recruiter, landing Cade Cunningham in 2019, Lutz has a chance to continue that streak of recruiting luck in Stillwater and some sustained success alongside it.
Over the past eight seasons, OSU has made only one NCAA Tournament appearance. That, of course, came with Cunningham leading the program in 2021.
Next season isn’t expected to end the streak of tournament misses, but this commitment from Montonati could easily turn things around in Stillwater in 2026-27 and beyond.
Throughout OSU’s history, men’s basketball has been one of the school’s most storied programs. From Henry Iba to Eddie Sutton, Stillwater has been home to some of the most notable figures in the game’s history.
When he was first introduced as OSU’s head coach in 2024, Lutz made it clear that he came to OSU with the goal of competing for championships. While there was never going to be a quick or easy turnaround, Montonati seems ready to buy into the vision Lutz has set.
Cowboy basketball has been looking for its next star, and Jalen Montonati could soon step into that role.
Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.