Avery Anderson III Announces Return in 2021

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State point guard made Cowboy fans very happy on Sunday as he announced his return to the program for the 2021-22 season.

Anderson had declared for the NBA Draft back on April 3.

This is huge news for Mike Boynton and Co. as Anderson is the Pokes’ returning leading scoring from last season.

Anderson took a huge step up from his freshman season to his sophomore season. The 6-3, 170-pound guard out of Justin, TX averaged 12.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game this past season, while shooting a blistering 47.5% from the field. What’s more impressive was his growth down the stretch of the season. In the final 10 games of the season, Anderson averaged 16.6 points per game, which included a career-high 31 points in the 85-80 upset of No. 6 West Virginia on the road without Cade Cunningham or Isaac Likekele.

"I think it's a great sign for Oklahoma State basketball that we've got [Avery Anderson] who's gotten better," Boynton said of Anderson following the West Virginia upset. "I think he's the most improved player in the country, I think he's the most improved player in our league by far and today was an example – with our best player in Cade [Cunningham] and our leader in [Isaac Likekele] both out – he did just a little bit more. He's been playing well now, he's having a really good year, but I thought today, knowing what the moment required, that he stepped up to the challenge and really met it."

Anderson averaged just 4.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.0 steals as a freshman.

Following the season, Anderson was also tabbed CoSIDA Academic First-Team, the first Cowboy to earn the honor since the 2015 season.