Zack Dawson Will Make An Immediate Impact for Oklahoma State

After he was officially named the new head coach of the Oklahoma State basketball program, the first thing Mike Boynton did was fly to Florida to lock down the commitment of 2017 4-star shooting guard Zack Dawson.

It may end up being the best move Boynton makes in his first year at the helm.

Corey Evans of Rivals.com said Dawson is the four-star recruit most likely to make an immediate impact in the Big 12.

Brad Underwood, thanks in part to the play and production of Jawun Evans, restored Oklahoma State to the upper echelon of the Big 12 Conference. However, both are gone and while replacing Underwood is crucial, newly named head coach Mike Boynton’s primary issue will be finding a way to fill the void left by Evans. This means a major role will be in place for Dawson. Originally thought of as just an athlete, Dawson had an excellent senior season at South Miami High School. A major weapon off of the high ball screen, the four-star guard will have more than enough scorers around him in Stillwater. If he can buy into a facilitating, playmaking role, the drop-off will not be as harsh as Dawson has all of the raw talents and abilities to play above his No. 109 ranking in the 2017 Rivals150.

The opportunity is certainly there for Dawson.

Gone are not only Evans, but also Phil Forte III, and Leyton Hammonds who combined for 40.6 points per game, or 47.4 percent of the team’s scoring.

Yes this means there is room for the young guys on the team to contribute more. Plus Oklahoma State is bringing in graduate transfer guard Kendall Smith from from Cal-State Northridge. I’d expect most of his 16.7 points and 4.8 assists from last season to transfer with him.

That still leaves a lot of production to make up for. Dawson seems like the kind of kid who can handle that. However, he also feels like the kind of kid who won’t stick around Stillwater for more than a couple seasons before heading off to the NBA.

Don’t believe me? Check out his highlight reel.

That fact that Dawson was named the four-star recruit that could make an immediate impact should give Oklahoma State fans some hope for next season, especially considering he’s one of 13 four-star recruits currently committed to play in the Big 12 next season. If he can live up to or exceed the expectations, the Cowboys should find themselves dancing in March for a second straight year.