Last year…Shai was my OKC Thunderground Atlete of the Year winner. Pretty easy choice as the Thunder won the NBA championship. This year Shai didn’ get the help he needed from Chet and JDub to advance to the NBA Finals. Thus…Shai finishes No. 2 on my list and ahead of OU linebacker Kip Lewis as my No. 3 pick for 2025-26.
My recipient of this year’s prest9gous award is obviously OU starting shortstop and cleanup hitter…Jaxon Willits.
If you want to see the template for a team leader on a championship team…it was Jaxon Willits on this amazing OU team which stunned everyone, including me, by winning this year’s national champioship.
Jaxon never waivered even when his team struggled the last month of the SEC regular season. He never blinked. His leadership kept this team in line and then Skip made the move with the three freshman starting pitchers.
This run by this team will be something which stays with me the rest of my days.
This team’s magical, mystical final month of the college baseball season was for me one for the ages…literally.
Mike J