Jalen Montonati talks USA Basketball along with Oklahoma, Michigan, and Oklahoma State
Jalen Montonati is trending as one of the top wings in the 2026 class. This summer, playing with the MoKan team on Nike’s EYBL 15U Circuit, the Owasso (OK) High sophomore averaged 18.3 points during the circuit’s regular season. He shot 46.6 percent from three.
“I’m a three-level scorer, and I’d like to call myself one of the better shooters in my class in 2026,” Montonati told On3. “I can play the one through the five, and I’m an active defender. Since this summer, I’ve improved my ball handling; I feel more confident with the ball in my hands, making plays.
This summer, Montonati earned a spot on the USA Basketball U16 Team that won a gold medal in the FIBA Americas Championships. He averaged 7.2 points in 13.6 minutes per game, shooting 40.9 percent from three on almost four attempts per game.
“This summer was a once-in-a-lifetime experience with USA Basketball,” Montonati said. “For almost a month, playing with the best players in the country, future NBA stars. That was the best basketball experience I’ve ever had. Off the court, they were solid dudes, and we had really good chemistry. I got to play a different role for that team, I was the shooter for that team and came off the bench, but I went out and played my role as best as I could, and we won.”
Since March of this year, Jalen Montonati has quadrupled his claimed offers. On3 caught up with him after a recent live viewing to talk about his recruitment.
Montonati talks possible upcoming visits
“My most recent offers are Texas and Kansas,” Montonati said. “I have offers from Michigan, Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas State, Tulsa, and Oklahoma State. We’re talking about setting up some visit dates with Michigan, Oklahoma State, and Oklahoma. Those are really the main three we’ve talked about so far.”
Michigan: “Juwan Howard has been good to talk to so far. I really like the way he runs his offense and what he does with his wings. He has had some really good success there, NCAA Tournament appearances. He wants to get that program to what it was when he was with the Fab Five.”
Oklahoma: “Porter Moser is a good dude. He can’t call me directly yet, but we check in a lot with him. He is a solid dude. What he did with Loyola-Chicago was really special. Last year, he says, was a disappointing year for them, but he is rebuilding the program through the portal. He has a couple of good freshmen coming in. I’m really interested in seeing what they do this year.”
Oklahoma State: “They are close to home, and my dad went there. Coach (Mike) Boynton and the staff have been recruiting me since the eighth grade. He’s really the first coach to reach out and offer me. That place is special to my family; you know we have a family legacy there. They’re a good program and had a solid year last year. Coach Boynton has done a great job with them.”
Montonati’s Bloodlines
Jalen Montonati’s dad, Brian Montonati, played at Oklahoma State from 1997-98 through 1999-2000. The 6-foot-9 post earned third-team All-Big Ten honors his senior season after averaging 12.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.
“My dad played overseas for like eight years,” Mononati said. “He played at Oklahoma State with Coach Eddie Sutton.”
At the end of the day…
“I want to go to a school with a good culture,” Montonati said. “A school with a good camaraderie and a good college town around it. Obviously, good coaching will be big for me. A place that can get me to the next level because college is not the end goal for me.”