Joe Mussatto's Avatar

Joe Mussatto

@joemussatto

Sports columnist, The Oklahoman | OKC Dream Team contributor | Have a story to tell? Email: jmussatto@oklahoman.com

720
Followers
57
Following
310
Posts
20.11.2024
Joined
Posts Following

Latest posts by Joe Mussatto @joemussatto

Preview
How Big 12 women's basketball tournament turned into Classen SAS reunion Big 12 Tournament organizers didn’t realize they were hosting a small-scale reunion for the Classen SAS state title team of 2022.

On Friday, the Big 12 Tournament turned into a Classen SAS reunion.

Only one of Jordan Harrison, Darianna Littlepage-Buggs and Micah Gray advanced:

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...

07.03.2026 16:01 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Post image Post image Post image

Here in Kansas City for Big 12 women’s hoops.

OSU and K-State tip-off at 11 a.m in the first quarterfinal game.

06.03.2026 15:12 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
After 37 years, Wellston girls basketball returns to state tournament with support of past The return was 37 years in the making. The Wellston girls were back in the state tournament for the first time since 1989.

β€œImmense sense of pride.”

Wellston girls make first state tournament appearance in 37 years:

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...

05.03.2026 15:08 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Opening of OG&E Coliseum for Oklahoma HS basketball state tournaments started new memories In a lot of ways, it was the same Oklahoma state basketball tournament. Only in sleek, upgraded digs.

New arena, new memories at the Oklahoma HS State Basketball Tournament:

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...

04.03.2026 14:15 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
OU softball hasn't had many two-way stars, but Allyssa Parker fits the bill Notching a win in the circle and homering in her first-ever game at Love’s Field was an early peek at Allyssa Parker’s tantalizing skillset.

Pitching? Hitting? Fielding?

OU freshman Allyssa Parker can do it all:

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...

27.02.2026 15:13 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
Preview
From the Thunder community on Reddit: We’re The Oklahoman sports reporters Joe Mussatto and Justin Martinez. SGA is back for Thunder vs. Nuggets tonight. AUA! Explore this post and more from the Thunder community

If you have any Thunder questions for Justin Martinez or @joemussatto.bsky.social, head over to our Reddit AMA before noon today. www.reddit.com/r/Thunder/co...

27.02.2026 07:02 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
NBA MVP race is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's to lose, even with injury | Mussatto's Minutes Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has a commanding lead in the MVP race. This week's Mussatto's Minutes covers that, Sean Pedulla's NBA journey and more.

Mussatto's Minutes

- Where things stand in MVP race

- Edmond's Sean Pedulla signs two-way

- OU softball's power binge

- Q&A with Comets GM

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...

24.02.2026 15:32 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Has OKC Thunder found something by pairing Isaiah Joe, Jared McCain? If you’re trying to find a comparison for new Thunder guard Jared McCain, look no further than one of his teammates Isaiah Joe.

In this week's edition of Mussatto's Minutes ...

- Thunder may have found something with Isaiah Joe/Jared McCain tandem

- Possible Bedlam football dates

- MLB top-100 prospects list loaded with Oklahomans

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...

17.02.2026 15:42 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
OKC Thunder stock report: Health, SGA MVP odds and No. 1 seed at NBA All-Star break The Thunder enters the NBA All-Star break as the No. 1 team in the West and the owners of the best point differential in basketball.

Thunder stock report heading into the All-Star break:

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...

13.02.2026 19:33 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Nikola Topic's NBA debut was 600 days in the making after ACL tear, cancer battle Thunder guard Nikola Topic made his NBA debut after battling testicular cancer and recovering from a torn ACL, marking an emotional return to the court.

β€œBro, you’ve been doing this your whole life. Go out there and do what you do.” 

Nikola Topic had support of teammates, fans as he made his NBA debut after a torn ACL and cancer diagnosis: www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...

13.02.2026 19:33 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
BYU's AJ Dybantsa has shades of Thunder's SGA in his game | Mussatto's Minutes Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has gotten to the point where the next big things in basketball are studying his game. Case in point: BYU's AJ Dybantsa.

Mussatto's Minutes ...

- AJ Dybantsa studies SGA's game
- Jared McCain joins Thunder's No. 3 club
- Rhamondre Stevenson, OU Super Bowl trivia

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...

11.02.2026 17:05 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Is Oklahoma the worst state for men's college basketball? Here's what the data says Oklahoma is home to the NBA champion Thunder. It’s also home to some of the worst men’s college basketball among power conferences in the country.

Is Oklahoma the worst state for high-major men’s college basketball?

Here’s what 10 years of data says: www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...

10.02.2026 15:33 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
Preview
Nikola Topic takes major step in cancer recovery with return to Thunder G League team Thunder guard Nikola Topic made an emotional return to the court Monday for the G League's OKC Blue after battling cancer and undergoing chemotherapy.

β€œYou wouldn’t even know what he was going through. He’s just so strong as an individual.” 

Nikola Topic was back on the court Monday night. That alone was a win.

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...

10.02.2026 14:27 πŸ‘ 8 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 2
Clendon Thomas, legendary OU football RB, dies at 90 Clendon Thomas, a former Southeast High School standout who starred at running back for the Sooners before an 11-year NFL career, died Monday. He was 90.

Clendon Thomas, the former Southeast HS standout who starred on two OU national title teams, dies at 90:

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...

27.01.2026 15:40 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 47 points not enough for Thunder to avoid upset loss vs. Pacers Amid the lost season, the Pacers played with championship-caliber pride, beating the shorthanded Thunder 117-114.

Thunder-Pacers: Three takeaways from OKC’s loss

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...

24.01.2026 06:05 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
How does OKC Thunder keep winning big despite terrible injury luck? We talk a lot about the Thunder’s depth being a strength. But that undersells just how crucial OKC's depth has been through the season's first half.

Depth is as important as ever in the NBA. Just look at the Thunder, which keeps winning despite an onslaught of injuries:

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...

23.01.2026 19:53 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Predicting 2026 NBA All-Star starters: Who joins SGA in starting lineup at Intuit Dome? Here is what my ballot for the 10 starters (no positional restrictions, per the rules) would’ve looked like for this season's NBA All-Star Game.

This week’s edition of Mussatto’s Minutes …

- Picking NBA All-Star starters
- Talking Thunder with Noah Eagle
- SGA’s first 500 games
- National title game pick

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...

19.01.2026 15:59 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
How Tulsa football won transfer portal by outside-the-box move into 'Portal House' Welcome to the Portal House β€” Tulsa football’s take on the Heisman House meets MTV Cribs meets frat house meets NFL draft war room.

An inside look at Tulsa football's Portal House: www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...

15.01.2026 17:39 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
New OKC soccer stadium will feature field-level seats for some fans Oklahoma City soccer fans will get a chance to ground themselves. To touch grass.

OKC’s new soccer stadium will feature one-of-a-kind, field-level seats: www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...

15.01.2026 17:10 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Thunder, Spurs took vastly different rebuilding routes to rise atop NBA | Mussatto For all of their similarities, the Thunder and Spurs took vastly different routes in rising to the top of the West.

The Thunder and Spurs have arrived. Just don’t conflate how they got here.Β 

OKC had a plan. San Antonio had the right ping-pong balls. www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...

13.01.2026 15:35 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
OKC Thunder set the bar insanely high, but are the NBA champs victims of own success? The Thunder still doesn’t look like the Thunder. And that’s the most jarring part, because the Thunder always looks like the Thunder.

How the Thunder has become a victim of its own success: www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...

09.01.2026 16:55 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

The Hornets are the first Eastern Conference team to win a regular season game in OKC since the Pacers on March 12, 2024.

Here’s how long ago that was: Gordon Hayward started for the Thunder.

06.01.2026 03:24 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0
Spurs made it clear on Christmas that they aren't scared of Thunder Together, through their body language and their play, the Spurs made a collective point: They aren’t scared of the Thunder. Not one bit.

The Spurs have made this much clear: They aren’t scared of the Thunder.

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...

26.12.2025 15:20 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Who will decide OU football vs Alabama in CFP? Meet these 10 players These aren’t necessarily the best players β€” although some of them are β€” but the 10 players who could swing OU vs. Alabama.

10 players who could have biggest impact in OU vs. Alabama:

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...

18.12.2025 16:18 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Will OU football finally turn around CFP luck? | Mussatto's Minutes Alabama has been the biggest winner of the College Football Playoff era. OU, meanwhile, has been the biggest loser.

In today’s edition of Mussatto’s Minutes

β€’ Can Sooners get off CFP schneid?
β€’ CFP first-round picks
β€’ Revisiting SEC bold predictions
β€’ Merry Clipmas, Thunder

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...

15.12.2025 17:12 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
If the OKC Thunder is breaking your brain, you're not alone | Mussatto The Thunder is upending the cosmic order of basketball. Like the mythological gods of thunder, the Thunder basketballers have become all-powerful.

The brain-breaking paradoxes of the Thunder: www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...

12.12.2025 17:41 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
In hiring Eric Morris, Oklahoma State AD Chad Weiberg has stabilized Cowboys | Mussatto Credit Oklahoma State athletic director Chad Weiberg for hiring Eric Morris, leading Cowboys through trying times.

Oklahoma State appeared to have a leadership void at the worst of times.

How Chad Weiberg navigated a coaching search that seems to have stabilized the Cowboys: www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...

09.12.2025 15:14 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Those were the days, man.

08.12.2025 14:41 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
OU football vs. Alabama rematch in CFP could've been easily avoided | Mussatto's Minutes Yawning at an OU-Alabama College Football Playoff game is not the right reaction, but forgive yourself if you're a little bummed with the draw.

An all-college football edition of Mussatto’s Minutes:

- How an OU-Bama rematch could’ve been easily avoided

- CFP superlatives

- Revisiting Big 12 bold predictions

- Former Norman HS standout playing for JUCO national title

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...

08.12.2025 14:37 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
How Bud Wilkinson set OU football dynasty in motion 75 years ago with 1950 national title OU won the 1950 national championship β€” the first of seven Sooner national titles, three of which came in the β€˜50s (1955, 1956).

OU football is celebrating the 75th anniversary of its first national championship team.

Looking back on the 1950 Sooners:

www.oklahoman.com/story/sports...

08.12.2025 14:33 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0