Oklahoma Honors Buddy Hield's Legacy as Transfer Portal Era Looms

Sooners coach Porter Moser reflects on how the modern game has changed since Hield's college stardom.

Feb. 20, 2026 at 9:22pm

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Oklahoma will retire Buddy Hield's #24 jersey this weekend, honoring the former Sooners star who captivated college basketball a decade ago. But current coach Porter Moser acknowledges that Hield's four-year tenure in Norman feels like a distant memory in the era of the transfer portal and NIL deals.

Why it matters

Hield's story of developing into a national player of the year at Oklahoma over four seasons is a rarity in today's college basketball landscape, where top players often transfer or turn pro after just a year or two. Moser is among the coaches struggling to adapt to the new realities of the sport.

The details

Hield became a household name during the 2015-16 season, when he led Oklahoma to the Elite Eight and drew praise from NBA legend Kobe Bryant. But Moser says it would be difficult to use Hield as a recruiting example today, as players have far more freedom to switch schools via the transfer portal.

  • Oklahoma will honor Hield by retiring his #24 jersey on Saturday, February 21, 2026.
  • Hield played for the Sooners from 2012-13 through 2015-16 seasons.

The players

Buddy Hield

A former Oklahoma Sooners basketball star who developed into a national player of the year and led the team to the 2016 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.

Porter Moser

The current head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners men's basketball team, who has struggled with player retention and adapting to the modern transfer portal era.

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What they’re saying

“Yes you can (Hield) it as an example (in recruiting), but in reality it's different.”

— Porter Moser, Oklahoma Sooners Head Coach

“And I'm like a lot of my colleagues on this. I'm OK with transferring once. You make a mistake, there's a coaching change, whatever situation. Maybe they bring in somebody once. But to be able to do it every single year is not good for the kid, not good for the programs.”

— Porter Moser, Oklahoma Sooners Head Coach

What’s next

Oklahoma will honor Buddy Hield by retiring his #24 jersey during a ceremony at halftime of the Sooners' game against Texas A&M on February 21, 2026.

The takeaway

Buddy Hield's inspiring four-year career at Oklahoma is a relic of the past, as the modern college basketball landscape of the transfer portal and NIL deals has made it increasingly difficult for coaches like Porter Moser to build programs around long-term player development.