Originally published at: https://pistolsfiringblog.com/georgetown-transfer-center-julius-halaifonua-commits-to-oklahoma-state/
PORTAL TRACKER Having a Kiwi center worked well for the Oklahoma City Thunder, and now the Cowboys are giving it a try. Villanova transfer 7-footer Julius Halaifonua committed to Oklahoma State on Monday. Out of Auckland, New Zealand, Halaifonua averaged 9.5 points, 4.4 boards and 1.3 assists a game last season for the Hoyas, his second with the program. Halaifonua made his way to the states by way of the NBA Global Academy in Australia. 247Sports considered him the No. 60 player in all of the 2024 recruiting class. He’s represented New Zealand at various age-level events. He took part in the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup, averaging 10.5 pints, 5.4 boards, two assists and 1.6 blocks across seven games. Halaifonua and the Kiwis took silver at the 2023 U17 Oceania Championship, where he averaged nine points and five boards. He earned a bronze medal at the 2022 U16 Asia Championship, putting up 12.8 points and 9.5 boards a contest. At the 2022 U17 World Cup, Halaifonua averaged 12 points and 7.5 rebounds a game. He was injured in his first season with the Hoyas after just six games, where he averaged three points and two boards in about 13…
A 7 foot kiwi!
For those wondering he weighs 259 per ESPN
Color me impressed. If his defense is solid this could be a great pickup.
I wonder how the handles are on Natt, Felesi, and Robinson for bringing it up the court? May about be finished… could 13 be the new normal with the costs associated with the portal?
oSu
Wow! That was the main missing ingredient on this team, a legit 7-foot center with experience. Big deal, literally. Now if we can keep all the commitments and, most importantly, avoid serious (or a slew of many minor) injuries, we might make some noise throughout the season and into March. Good job, coach!
We NEED to make the tournament this year. If we don’t it’s going to be hard to get the money for a class like this again.
Could be a stiff
Agreed. In this era of quick roster turnover via the portal/NIL, a coach no longer has 5 years to turn a program around.
Great pickup for Lutz. He clearly focused on defense this time around, without forgoing offensive skills. Another PG would be nice, but this is a really, really solid team from all appearances at this point. Next year’s success will depend on team chemistry, which is tough with constant turnover and the portal. Success in the following years will depend on retention.
I was thinking about this - a 1, a 2, and two 5s returning. Four freshmen who should be sponges in the new environment. Then the portal players that seem to have at least a common denominator of working hard. Mix that with their motor and talent makes me very optimistic about this year. But also, chemistry and culture should emerge more quickly on this squad.
An aside - watched some tape on Orange Julius, it cannot but help Ben and Mekhi to battle with this guy in practice and as someone else posted, can you see twin posts because Julius can step out and knock down the three.
Hope springs eternal…
oSu
Looks really good in the clips. Lutz has shown he can work the Portal/NIL environment of modern college sports. I just wish he could keep a couple more guys for at least a couple years, no matter how good they do this season. I want to see some of that growth of talent and melding together of a team of guys like we used to all the time.
I’m pretty excited about the incoming roster. I’ve heard reports Christian Coleman is trying to Getty year of eligibility. Does anyone know about this?
Haven’t heard anything about it but knowing the NCAA I wouldn’t count on them doing anything to the benefit of OSU. They’re still waiting on a ruling for that DLineman trying to get another year I think.