Oklahoma Men's Basketball Lands SMU Guard BJ Edwards In Transfer Portal

The Sooners are adding another experienced piece to the backcourt. SMU transfer BJ Edwards has committed to Oklahoma, sources told 247Sports.

Edwards averaged 12.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 4.9 assists last season and was one of the better glue-guy options available in the portal. He gained the extra year of eligibility through the Tennessee injunction.

The timing makes sense with the roster in flux. Tae Davis was granted a fifth year but is trying to enter the transfer portal and is not expected to return. Edwards becomes Oklahoma’s 13th scholarship player, which still leaves the staff with a couple of spots to work with as they continue shaping the roster.

Edwards is a 6-foot-3, 200-pound combo guard who has bounced around a bit but produced everywhere he’s been. He played at Tennessee, starred for three seasons at SMU, briefly signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Sacramento Kings, and appeared in the NBA Summer League before deciding to come back to college. That kind of experience usually translates into a player who knows how to compete and doesn’t need much time to adjust.

The biggest calling card is the two-way impact. Edwards is an aggressive, physical defender who can guard multiple positions and has a real nose for the ball. Averaging 2.3 steals and earning All-ACC Defensive Team recognition shows up on the film. He’s also an excellent rebounder for a guard at nearly six rebounds per game, which helps a team end possessions and get out in transition.

Offensively, he plays with pace and strength. Edwards is comfortable getting downhill, finishing through contact, and using a floater or pull-up when he can’t get all the way to the rim. He distributes the ball well and generally takes care of it. The three-point shooting is solid at 37.2 percent, though he’s more selective than high-volume. Expanding that range a bit would make him even harder to guard, but he already does enough in the other areas to be effective.

At nearly 24 years old, Edwards is a finished product more than a developmental project. That’s not a bad thing for a team looking for immediate reliability. He profiles as the kind of player who fills up the stat sheet, defends, rebounds, and makes winning plays without needing the offense to run through him every possession. Those guys tend to fit well in most systems.

For Porter Moser and Oklahoma, this is a practical addition. The Sooners needed another experienced guard who can defend and contribute right away, especially with the uncertainty around Davis. Edwards gives them a physical, high-IQ piece who has already produced against good competition. He won’t need a long onboarding process, and his ability to impact both ends of the floor should help as the roster continues to take shape.

It’s not the flashiest name in the portal, but it’s a sensible one. Edwards has a track record of doing the dirty work, filling up the box score, and competing on defense. Those traits tend to age well over a long season.

Oklahoma still has work to do on the roster, but adding a player with his experience and production is a solid step.