Oklahoma State Professional Athletes

Oklahoma State Alumni NBA Roundup | Oct. 4–10, 2026

Oklahoma State's two most prominent NBA alumni are both making noise this preseason — one as the most coveted building block in the league, the other navigating an unexpected roster move with characteristic resilience.

Cade Cunningham: Detroit's Cornerstone, and Its Shopping List

Cade Cunningham isn't just the face of the Detroit Pistons — he's become the axis around which the franchise's entire roster ambition revolves. This preseason, the trade market chatter surrounding Detroit has been loud and specific: multiple reports indicate the Pistons pursued Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard during the offseason in attempts to construct a contender alongside their star point guard. Those efforts fell short, but the front office hasn't gone quiet.

The most prominent name still circulating is Kyrie Irving, with Bleacher Report reporting that Detroit has had genuine interest in pairing the nine-time All-Star with Cunningham in the backcourt. Heavy Sports also flagged the Mavericks guard as a target the Pistons have been urged to pursue. Meanwhile, The Sporting News reported separate interest in a $120 million "three-level scorer" and a $118 million clutch NBA champion — both framed explicitly as complements to Cunningham and center Jalen Duren, whose contract standoff with the team was recently resolved.

On the court, Cunningham opened preseason action against the Suns, and off it, he generated a lighter moment when photos surfaced from a Pistons open practice showing him wearing Caitlin Clark's signature Nike sneakers — a detail that ricocheted across sports media and underscored just how much attention follows him these days.

The through-line is clear: Detroit views Cunningham as a max-level foundation, and the front office is openly willing to be aggressive to put the right pieces around him.

Marcus Smart: Candid About the Lakers Split

Marcus Smart's exit from Los Angeles was one of the more surprising personnel moves of the offseason. Coming off what was described as a productive season with the Lakers, Smart nevertheless found himself in free agency — and he's since been candid about why the two sides parted ways.

In a sit-down covered by The Sporting News, Smart opened up about the circumstances of his Lakers departure, offering a straightforward account of how the split materialized despite his strong play. He has since landed with the Houston Rockets, where he'll look to reestablish himself in a new system.

Smart's reputation as one of the league's premier defensive disruptors remains intact, and Houston — still building around young talent — adds a veteran presence and edge that should be immediately useful.

The Bigger Picture

Two Oklahoma State alumni, two very different preseason narratives. Cunningham is the league's most discussed young centerpiece, with front offices and analysts debating who belongs beside him. Smart is the grizzled veteran finding his footing after an abrupt change of scenery. Both storylines carry weight heading into opening week — and both keep Stillwater relevant on the NBA map.

Oklahoma State Alumni Report | NBA Preseason | Sept. 27–Oct. 3

Two of Oklahoma State's most prominent NBA exports are commanding attention as the 2026–27 preseason gets underway — for very different reasons.

Cunningham Steps Up as Pistons Face Duren Drama

Cade Cunningham arrived at Detroit Pistons Media Day as the unquestioned face of the franchise — and immediately found himself fielding questions about who wasn't there. Center Jalen Duren skipped both media day and the start of training camp after declining the Pistons' reported five-year, $200 million extension offer, leaving a significant void in Detroit's frontcourt before a single practice rep was logged.

Cunningham didn't dodge it. The All-Star point guard made his position plain, offering public support for Duren with a response that sources described as a clear, three-word endorsement of his teammate. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff echoed the sentiment, and president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon maintained optimism that the situation would be resolved — though no timeline has been established.

It's a delicate spot for Cunningham and the Pistons. Duren's breakout 2025–26 campaign — 19.5 points per game, 10.5 rebounds, and a field goal percentage of 65% that ranked among the league's elite — made him one of the most coveted young bigs in the sport. Detroit needs him. But entering camp without him puts Cunningham in an awkward leadership position: supporting a teammate publicly while managing a locker room that has to prepare without him.

That Cunningham handled it with composure isn't surprising. It is, however, another reminder of just how much the Pistons' identity runs through the OSU product. The bigger question hanging over Detroit's camp isn't Cunningham's readiness — it's whether the Duren impasse gets resolved before it poisons an otherwise promising season.

Smart Brings Noise to Houston

Meanwhile, Marcus Smart is making headlines in Houston — and not just for his new Rockets uniform. The veteran guard, who departed the Los Angeles Lakers to sign with Houston, stirred the preseason conversation with a comment that a four-time All-Star publicly called "disrespectful," according to Sports Illustrated. Smart didn't back down.

It's a very Marcus Smart offseason. The former Defensive Player of the Year has never been shy about speaking his mind, and his move to the Rockets appears to have come with exactly the kind of edge Houston's backcourt needed. A Yahoo Sports player preview for the 2026–27 season posed the right question bluntly: was signing Smart a Smart signing?

On paper, the fit makes sense. Houston is a young, ascending team that could use a seasoned, defense-first guard who isn't afraid to challenge teammates or opponents alike. Smart's ability to guard multiple positions and generate chaos on defense remains elite — the question, as it has been in recent years, is whether his offensive efficiency holds up over a full season.

The Third Cowboy

Lindy Waters III remains on the San Antonio Spurs roster but did not surface prominently in this week's preseason coverage.

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OSU's NBA contingent enters the new season with Cunningham carrying franchise expectations in Detroit and Smart injecting personality — and controversy — into a Rockets squad with legitimate playoff aspirations. Stillwater's pipeline to the league has never looked more interesting.

Marcus Smart didn't just leave the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason — he made sure everyone knew exactly how he felt about it.

The Oklahoma State product signed a two-year, $12.4 million deal with the Houston Rockets (with a player option on the second year), but the real story was what he said on his way out of L.A. Smart called the Lakers' contract offer "disrespectful," saying publicly that the offer "didn't match the way that I played." The comments landed like a grenade in an otherwise quiet offseason news cycle, prompting a public response from Lakers GM Rob Pelinka and turning the standard free-agency departure into one of the summer's defining storylines.

Smart, 32 and a former Defensive Player of the Year, spent just one season in Los Angeles before walking. His explanation for choosing Houston over a larger offer elsewhere was rooted in something beyond money: Texas ties, a reunion with head coach Ime Udoka, and the chance to play alongside Steven Adams and Fred VanVleet — who is returning from an ACL injury that cost him all of 2025-26.

At his introductory press conference, Smart didn't soften his outlook on what the Rockets are building. "This team is really scary," he said, issuing a direct warning to Western Conference rivals. "We're going to give some [teams] problems." With Kevin Durant anchoring a deep Houston roster that also added Bogdan Bogdanovic this offseason, the Oklahoma State alum appears to have landed in a legitimate contender — even if his arrival has complicated the rotation and put several Rockets veterans on the trade block entering training camp.

At Rockets media day, Smart also spelled out his defensive philosophy — the approach that has defined his career and made him one of the most disruptive guards in the league. His message to younger players was direct: defense earns you minutes, and elite scoring alone won't keep you on the floor.

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Elsewhere in Cowboy Country

In Detroit, Cade Cunningham is entering his sixth NBA season as the longest-tenured Piston on the roster — a byproduct of the franchise's ongoing roster churn. The All-NBA point guard recently made what he called a "weird" admission about the departure of center Isaiah Stewart, who was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. The Pistons are building explicitly around Cunningham, though questions about the team's supporting cast remain as the season opener against the Boston Celtics approaches.

Lindy Waters III remains on the San Antonio Spurs roster heading into the new season, though the Oklahoma State shooting guard drew no major headlines during the period.

The week belonged to Smart — both for the noise he made on his way out of Los Angeles and for the very real promise of what he's walking into in Houston.

Oklahoma State's NBA Alumni Face Crossroads Offseason

Two Oklahoma State alumni closed out the 2026 offseason with significant moves in opposite directions — one landing a new NBA contract, the other departing the league entirely.

Marcus Smart Finds a New Home in Houston

Marcus Smart's one-year stint with the Los Angeles Lakers ended quietly this summer, but the veteran guard didn't stay on the market long. Smart agreed to a two-year, $13 million deal with the Houston Rockets, as first reported by ESPN's Shams Charania. It's a fresh start for a player who never quite found his footing in Los Angeles.

Lakers insider Jovan Buha, appearing on Third Apron, noted that Smart himself was ready to move on — suggesting the departure was mutual rather than a forced exit. The specifics of his role within the Lakers system remain unclear, but the narrative coming out of the offseason is one of a veteran guard seeking a situation that fits better.

In Houston, Smart joins a young Rockets roster that has been building steadily. At 31, he profiles as exactly the kind of experienced, defensive-minded guard a developing team might covet. For Cowboys fans, it's a familiar script: Smart betting on himself and landing somewhere with a clear role.

Lindy Waters III Leaves the NBA for the CBA

The more striking move belongs to Lindy Waters III. After five seasons in the NBA — most recently with the San Antonio Spurs — Waters is taking his game to China, signing with the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association. The move was first reported by Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.

The Spurs did not offer Waters a new contract this offseason, effectively closing the door on his NBA tenure. Waters spent time with both the Golden State Warriors and the Spurs during his professional career, carving out a niche as a wing who could contribute without demanding a starring role. Now 27, he'll look to extend his playing career overseas — a path increasingly common for fringe NBA players seeking steady minutes and competitive basketball.

The Beijing Ducks provide a legitimate platform. The CBA has attracted a number of former NBA players in recent years, and Waters' shooting ability and size at the wing position translate well internationally.

Cunningham Watches from Detroit

The crown jewel of Oklahoma State's NBA contingent, Cade Cunningham, isn't making offseason headlines for his own moves — the Pistons point guard remains anchored in Detroit heading into the new season. With Smart and Waters both in transition, Cunningham stands alone as the program's unambiguous current-star presence in the league.

For OSU alumni tracking the program's NBA footprint, this week underscored just how thin the margin is between staying and leaving. Smart threaded the needle. Waters found a different path. And Cunningham, for now, remains the face of Cowboys basketball at the professional level.