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Hopefully, Jimmy Tubbs will be making a phone call soon.

From today's DMN...

OU guard to transfer

12:10 AM CDT on Monday, April 19, 2004


Associated Press



NORMAN, Okla. – Guard De'Angelo Alexander says he will transfer from the Oklahoma basketball team and choose his new team within the next two weeks.

Alexander, whose 9.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game each ranked third on the Sooners last season, said future playing time was partly responsible for his decision. He did not elaborate.

Alexander played in all 31 of the Sooners games last season and started 17. He spent much of the season coping after dislocating his right shoulder in the Sooners' first practice last fall, but still played more minutes than every Sooner except leading scorers Drew Lavender and Jason Detrick.

Alexander, a 6-foot-5 sophomore from Midwest City, reinjured the shoulder in the first half of the Sooners' season-ending loss to Michigan in the NIT and had surgery April 1 to fix it. He was expected miss four to five months, but return in time for fall practice.

Oklahoma coach Kelvin Sampson said he was disappointed with Alexander's decision.

"He's a great kid and has been a great person to be around," Sampson said. "We wish him the best."

Oklahoma is expected to sign guard Terrell Everett from Southwest Missouri State-West Plains and the Sooners are also recruiting McDonald's All-American Malik Hairston, a 6-foot-6 forward from Detroit.

The Sooners have two scholarships to give this spring, but NCAA rules will keep them from using Alexander's.

Alexander, who was regarded as a top-50 recruit out of high school, played on the wing for most of the season but had to move to power forward at times after center Jabahri Brown was suspended and forward Kevin Bookout was injured.

Alexander started the Sooners' first 14 games of the season. He then came off the bench until late in Big 12 Conference play, but still led the Sooners in scoring three times in a reserve role.

He also scored 15 points to lead the Sooners in their Big 12 quarterfinal loss to Texas.

PG wrote:Hopefully, Jimmy Tubbs will be making a phone call soon.

No, hopefully the player will make a phone call soon. Why cant so many you of you grasp the simple concept that its illegal for the coach to make first contact or solicit a transfer? Jimmy cant do anything unless the player contacts him, first. Thats why we didnt get "in on" any of the players that wanted to leave Baylor this past fall, none of them were interested in coming here. The ball is in the players court first, he has to make the first move.

Actually, I'm well aware of that rule. Sorry to ruffle your feathers, Prof. X. You can go back under your rock now.

You're cordially invited to kiss my rock, pal. Perhaps you do understand, but apparently there are alot of people who dont, or they are just slinging BS because they like to start trouble. I see that as counterproductive, because you cant deal with your situation if you build a smokescreen around it.

That would be a HUGE pick up for the Ponies. He is a terrific player. Tubbs and Alexander arrived in Norman at the same time so hopefully they are close. From the sounds of it, he already has his new school picked.....SMU?????? I've got my fingers crossed.

Unfortunately, we have no scholarships to give.

If he is great they will figure out a way. - Is Dement's kid on scholarship?

Not that it would have much of a factor in his decision, but De'Angelo is no stranger to Moody since he has played in the last two Global Games Tournaments. He would certainly be one of those tough, hard-nosed players Tubbs wants. I know he played against Hop at least once in high school (Lincoln beat Midwest City their senior years at a tournament in St. Louis) so they should be somewhat familiar with each other.

Michael Dement is not on scholarship, but like gostangs said, they would find room for De'Angelo.

Perhaps former Pony coach and erstwhile booster Dave Bliss will offer to pay his tuition.

Sorry. Couldn't resist.

and YES this is meant as a joke

Its tempting to get hopeful over this. Its a fairly strange situation because Alexander was one of their key young players at one point at least and didnt exactly get benched or anything it doesnt sound like. Alexander will have lots of choices. I know Bill Self recruited him hard while at Illinois, so unless the Big 12 has a punitive transfer policy, which they might, I could see Kansas as a possibility. I dont see him coming to SMU, but stranger things have happened. He could solve alot of problems the year after next when we get very thin after Simpson, Castro and Isham graduate. Scholarship is a definite problem though.

Prof X wrote:

PG wrote:Hopefully, Jimmy Tubbs will be making a phone call soon.

No, hopefully the player will make a phone call soon. Why cant so many you of you grasp the simple concept that its illegal for the coach to make first contact or solicit a transfer?

OK, hopefully Jimmy Tubbs will give someone a call, who will give someone else a call, who will call somone else, who will call Alexander and tell him Jimmy Tubbs would like a call.*

But I'm sure that kind of stuff never happens since its such a simple concept, huh Prof.

*the word "call" can be replaced by secret notes with invisible ink, sign language, morse code, or smoke signals.

Hoop Fan wrote: I know Bill Self recruited him hard while at Illinois, so unless the Big 12 has a punitive transfer policy, which they might, I could see Kansas as a possibility.

If a player transfers to a school within the Big 12, they would lose a year of eligibility automatically. I know this question came up with the players from Baylor but they waived it due to the circumstances.

actually I think if they transferred to another Big 12 school they would lose two years-if they transferred to any other NCAA school they would lose one year. Both the Big 12 and NCAA waived rule in Baylor situation.

Stallion wrote:actually I think if they transferred to another Big 12 school they would lose two years-if they transferred to any other NCAA school they would lose one year. Both the Big 12 and NCAA waived rule in Baylor situation.

Yes, that would be correct. I meant to say in addition to sitting out a year, they would also lose a year of eligibility if they transferred to a school within the Big 12.

OK, hopefully Jimmy Tubbs will give someone a call, who will give someone else a call, who will call somone else, who will call Alexander and tell him Jimmy Tubbs would like a call.*

But I'm sure that kind of stuff never happens since its such a simple concept, huh Prof.

*the word "call" can be replaced by secret notes with invisible ink, sign language, morse code, or smoke signals.[/quote]

Well, I thought it was simple, but it still doesnt appear very clear to some, huh Mike. Thanks for that graphic example of exactly what I was saying.

For those who are interested, I spoke to Jimmy this morning and he has already spoken with Alexander, and Sampson. SMU isnt one of the schools he's considering.