The Daily Oklahoman from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma • B1

THE OKLAHOMAN OKLAHOMAN.COM Tuesday, March 10, 2020 B1 I 5 TULSA TIME Check out the teams, players, coaches and pairings in the Class 5A state basketball tournament A 3 SPRING FLING Redshirt freshman QB Spencer Rattler tops the list of players to watch when spring practice begins Tuesday By Joe Mussatto Staff writer BOSTON Celtics staff members gave a friendly nod to Abdel Nader as they passed him in the narrow hallway outside the locker room. Nader had changed since his one-season stint in Boston. His 17 minutes Sunday in the 105-104 win against the Celtics were proof. a guy that you could put in the game and impact winning because he can shoot it, he can drive Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. then a long, athletic guy that cares, and that usu- ally adds up to a pretty good defender as Nader shot 2-of-2 from behind the arc Sunday.

His second 3-point make tied the game 86-86 in the fourth quarter after the Thunder had trailed by 18 points. But shooting was over- shadowed by his defense an assessment that would have been unthinkable last season. The 26-year-old forward recorded a career-high four blocks. He entered the night with just 38 blocks in 156 career games. Nader denied Semi Ojeleye at the rim.

He fought through a screen and recovered in time to block a Kemba Walker 3-pointer. Nader stuffed a Jayson Tatum jump shot from behind without the Celtics star even seeing him. Marcus Smart tried to drive by Nader, but Nader stayed glued to right hip and rejected a floater. really trust Thunder coach Billy Donovan said after the game. always been a really good worker, but he bat- tles, he fights, he chases really hard on screens I thought he Nader with improved defense Jazz at Thunder When: 7 p.m.

Wednesday Where: Chesapeake Energy Arena, OKC TV: FSOK (Cox 37) Radio: 98.1 FM Boston Celtics guard Kemba Walker, center, looks to pass the ball while Oklahoma City Thunder forward Abdel Nader, left, and center Nerlens Noel defend during game at TD Garden in Boston. TODAY STILLWATER Kasey Dunn knelt on the artificial turf, flipping footballs underhanded to his wide receivers. he hollered. One by one, they sprinted. One after another, he tossed.

it and run in one On the first day of spring football at Oklahoma State, much looked the same for Dunn. The longtime receiv- ers coach spent a good chunk of Monday afternoon teaching his pass catchers the finer points of their craft. Getting knees up. Being efficient. Chewing up ground.

what done for years. Then again, Monday was unlike anything done in nearly three decades of coaching it was his first practice ever as an offensive coordinator. wait your entire life for this opportunity in coaching, to finally get that break to do the 50-year- old Dunn said. thrilled to be where But how, exactly, did he end up being offen- sive coordinator? When last we saw Dunn, after all, he was headed to UNLV. He coached the Texas Bowl, but when he walked out of NRG Field that night, everyone fully A A DUNN DEAL Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn, center, talks to players during the first spring football practice Monday in Stillwater.

Dunn, who was recently promoted to offensive coordinator, turned down an offer for the same position at UNLV to remain with the Cowboys. How Kasey Dunn caught a dream opportunity and ran with it Jenni Carlson By Cameron Jourdan Staff writer Rondel Walker wanted to do something. Nearly every time he drove, he saw people on the streets who had a need. A need for food. For shelter.

For clothing. It was some- thing Walker, a i a Putnam West, wanted to help with. People fall on hard times, but he wanted to try and bring posi- tives into other lives deserves hap- piness in their Walker said. feel like if I can have it, somebody else can have it, why Walker and fellow senior teammate Collin House packed backpacks full of supplies and handed them out to people in need on the streets of Oklahoma City on Christmas Day. The duo stuffed backpacks with food, water and other miscellaneous supplies.

They then drove across the city and found people in need. Walker, an Oklahoma State signee, is one of the best bas- ketball players in the country. Yet his leadership extends off the court. always look- ing out for those in need in his community and those walk- ing inside the halls at Putnam A 6 A A A Putnam West leadership extends off the court Walker By Ryan Aber and Abby Bitterman Staff writers A a statue is about to come to campus. The sixth Heisman Trophy winner will have his statue revealed during the spring game on April 18.

The statue will be unveiled inside Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. think the thought is, instead of a ceremony outside the stadium, why not include all 50, 60, 70,000, A Sooners to unveil Baker Mayfield statue on April 18 OU coach Lincoln Riley says the statue unveiling for former quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) is to be a pretty cool historic moment for this See CARLSON, B4 See MAYFIELD, B3 See WALKER, B6 See THUNDER, B2.