Oklahoma State Is Finally Starting to Show What Steve Lutz Wants This Team to Be

Two games into Oklahoma State's trip to Puerto Rico, the wins and losses aren't what matter most.

What's becoming important is the identity.

For the first time this offseason, we're beginning to see what a Steve Lutz basketball team is supposed to look like.

It's fast.

It's physical.

It's disruptive.

While there's still plenty of work to do, the Cowboys are beginning to establish a style that should give fans confidence heading into the regular season.

The biggest takeaway from Oklahoma State's second game wasn't a scoring performance or a highlight dunk.

It was the defensive intensity.

The Cowboys consistently pressured the basketball, created difficult possessions and forced their opponent to work for nearly every shot. That's exactly the type of basketball Steve Lutz has preached since arriving in Stillwater.

Good defensive teams don't just contest shots.

They make opponents uncomfortable.

That's the first sign this roster is beginning to buy into Lutz's philosophy.

Another thing that continues to stand out is Oklahoma State's versatility.

This roster has length at nearly every position.

That gives the Cowboys flexibility to switch defensively, contest shots on the perimeter and create mismatches without sacrificing athleticism.

Modern college basketball is all about positionless players who can guard multiple spots.

Oklahoma State appears to have assembled a roster capable of doing exactly that.

If the chemistry continues to improve, this could become one of the more versatile teams in the Big 12.

One of the biggest objectives during exhibition games is figuring out who fits where.

After two contests, that process has already begun.

Some players are emerging as offensive creators.

Others are carving out roles through rebounding, defense and hustle plays.

That's a positive development because championship-caliber teams aren't built around five stars trying to do everything.

They're built around players understanding exactly what their responsibilities are.

The earlier Oklahoma State establishes those roles, the smoother the transition into the regular season will be.

That doesn't mean this team is a finished product.

Far from it.

There are still stretches where the offense can become stagnant.

Communication isn't always perfect.

The Cowboys still have moments where they lose focus defensively or fail to capitalize on opportunities.

Those are all areas that need improvement before Big 12 play begins.

The encouraging part is those mistakes are happening while the team is still developing chemistry—not because the roster lacks talent.

That's a much easier problem to fix.

It's easy to get caught up in exhibition scores.

This time of year though, the process matters far more than the outcome.

What Oklahoma State is building is far more important than any single result in Puerto Rico.

The Cowboys are beginning to resemble a Steve Lutz basketball team.

They're defending aggressively.

They're playing with pace.

They're competing on every possession.

Those habits are what carry teams through a long season.

No one should declare Oklahoma State a Big 12 contender because of two exhibition games.

However, there are plenty of reasons to be encouraged.

This roster is beginning to develop an identity, and that's often the hardest part when building a team through the transfer portal.

The talent was never the question.

Now the chemistry is starting to catch up.

Talent gets fans excited in the summer.

An identity is what gives a team a chance to win when the games truly matter.