Cowboys in the Mix to Land Talented Yale Grad Transfer Paul Atkinson

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State basketball can always use big strong bodies down low and according to a report from ESPN Jeff Borzello, they're in the mix to land a talented Yale grad transfer forward, Paul Atkinson.

The other schools in the mix are Duke, Arkansas, Miami, Florida, USC, Stanford, Notre Dame, Gonzaga, Maryland, Texas, Ohio State, Wake Forest, Cincinnati and Georgia. Other schools that have reached out are Kansas, Boston College, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Stanford, Virginia Tech, Xavier and NC State.

Being a grad transfer, Atkinson will have immediate eligibility for the 2021-22 season.

Atkinson checks in at 6-10, 220-pounds and is originally out of West Palm Beach, FL, a state the Cowboys have a leg up on competition when it comes to recruiting thanks to assistant coach Erik Pastrana.

Atkinson has a career field goal percentage of 66%, the best in Yale basketball history. He also holds the program’s single-season field goal percentage of 68% his sophomore season. This past season as a junior, he was named Co-Ivy League Player of the Year and was a first-team All-Ivy selection after averaging 17.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.

Something important to note in his recruiting process is a quote he told Stock Risers back in October when he first announced he had decided to grad transfer: “I’m looking for a school that’s ready to compete and to help me get to the next level and most importantly, I’m looking for a masters program in business/finance that I feel will help me in the future after basketball.”

I’d say the Spears School of Business is going to go a long way in helping Boynton and Co. in the recruiting process. Now, they certainly have some tough competition with perennial powerhouses and blue bloods. But we’ve also seen what Boynton and Co. have been able to do out on the recruiting trails, so it’s going to be a fun process to watch unfold.