Rotnei Clarke will not be a Sooner after all

Sharp shooter and OK native Rotnei Clarke has chosen not to transfer to the University of Oklahoma.  According to CBSSports.com, Clarke has instead chosen Brad Stevens and the Butler Bulldogs as the destination for his final year of eligibility.  Clarke will have to sit out the upcoming season due to NCAA transfer rules.

It was believed that Clarke was on the verge of choosing OU, however when news broke last week regarding the NCAA/Tiny Gallon issue that caused enough uncertainty on Clarke's part to go another way.

"I really believe Coach Kruger will turn the program around quickly," Clarke said.  "And while I was told that the NCAA decision wouldn't affect me, it wasn't guaranteed.  I didn't know that for sure and didn't want to go there without knowing 100 percent."

One could question just how much Clarke would have been able to contribute to OU once he was eligible and whether or not the baggage he was bringing with him was worth it, so maybe not a huge loss for the Sooners in the long run.  Obviously it remains to be seen how much the recent NCAA ruling and self imposed penalties (pending NCAA approval) will affect the basketball program, but this is not a good first sign.