Oklahoma State Losing Big 12 Steals Leader to Transfer Portal
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Oklahoma State is losing one of its top players from last season.
According to a report from Sam Kayser, OSU guard Arturo Dean will be entering the transfer portal. Dean played only one season at OSU but was a key part of the Cowboys’ first season under head coach Steve Lutz.
With the Cowboys, Dean started in 21 of his 34 appearances last season and was the anchor of the OSU defense on the perimeter. He finished with a Big 12-leading 2.5 steals per game and even set a new OSU record for steals in a Big 12 Tournament game with seven against Cincinnati.
Offensively, Dean had a subpar year with the Cowboys, averaging 7.6 points and 3.4 assists, which were both career lows. Shooting only 39.6% from the floor and 27.5% from beyond the arc, Dean’s struggles offensively might have made it difficult for him to keep his role of nearly 25 minutes per game next season, given OSU’s additions.
Before coming to Stillwater, Dean led the NCAA in steals as a sophomore with Florida International. He spent his first two seasons at FIU and established himself as one of the best perimeter defenders in the country.
While the Cowboys have already seen other players depart, including Jamyron Keller and Connor Dow, Dean seems to be the first significant loss for OSU. After playing a significant role for the Cowboys in the 2024-25 season, he was expected to be a key player again for the Pokes next season.
Dean’s decision to enter the portal comes in the aftermath of OSU adding a few backcourt players in the portal. With a number of high-volume scorers on their way to Stillwater, the battle in the backcourt next season is set to be highly competitive.
With the Cowboys seemingly shifting to an offense-based approach, Dean’s defensive-minded game could have struggled to break through next season. Of course, Dean is an elite on-ball defender and would have been incredibly useful for the Cowboys, but he might not have been able to carve out the same role he had in his first year with OSU.
Although Dean’s time in Stillwater lasted only one season, he should have no issues finding a place he can contribute next year.
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.