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Parsa Fallah’s Emotional Oklahoma State Goodbye Might Not Have Been Goodbye After All
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- Parsa Fallah’s Emotional Oklahoma State Goodbye Might Not Have Been Goodbye After All
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
The last time we saw Parsa Fallah play basketball for Oklahoma State, it felt like his Cowboy career had ended in about the cruelest way imaginable.
Maybe it didn't. Fallah was granted a temporary restraining order against the NCAA on Wednesday, allowing him to return to the Oklahoma State basketball program as he continues pursuing another season of eligibility. OSU football player Iman Oates and soccer player Ellie Geoffroy were also included in the court action.
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It doesn't guarantee Fallah will ultimately get another season. It doesn't mean he'll be physically ready when Oklahoma State opens the season.
But it does mean something that seemed impossible six months ago suddenly feels considerably more real. Parsa Fallah might actually play for Oklahoma State again.
Remember How Last Season Ended
This is what makes the story so compelling. Fallah tore his ACL late in Oklahoma State's win against West Virginia in February.
Everyone thought that was it. His college career was over.
Yet despite suffering the devastating injury, Fallah made his way into the postgame press conference and delivered one of the most emotional moments of Oklahoma State's season.
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He thanked the fans. He talked about how much Stillwater meant to him. He became emotional discussing Steve Lutz.
Fallah called Oklahoma State the best year of his college career and credited Lutz with making him a better player and person.
It sounded like goodbye. Now? Maybe it wasn't.
Lutz Never Closed the Door
Steve Lutz certainly hasn't treated Fallah like someone whose Oklahoma State career was finished. When Fallah began pursuing another year of eligibility, Lutz revealed that OSU was holding a scholarship for him.
Fallah remained around the program. He attended meetings and practices. He continued rehabbing with Oklahoma State's training and strength staff.
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Even without knowing whether he'd ever be eligible to play another game, he remained part of the operation. Now there's finally some positive movement on the eligibility side.
Fallah's Case Is Unusual
Fallah's path through college basketball hasn't exactly been normal. When he initially came to the United States from Iran, obtaining his visa required traveling to Africa because there was no U.S. embassy in Iran.
What Fallah thought would be a matter of days turned into six months before he was able to reach the United States.
He ultimately redshirted during the 2021-22 season at Southern Utah. That unusual beginning to his college career became part of his argument for additional eligibility. Now that fight has moved into the courts.
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But This Isn't Over
This is important. A temporary restraining order isn't the same thing as Fallah permanently winning another season.
The NCAA will still have an opportunity to challenge the decision as the case progresses. Similar legal questions surround other Oklahoma State athletes seeking additional eligibility.
So don't pencil Fallah into the starting lineup just yet. There's also the basketball issue.
He's still recovering from a torn ACL. Even if Fallah ultimately receives full clearance to play, reports indicate he wouldn't physically be ready for the beginning of the season.
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But that's a problem for another day. First, he needed an opportunity to have another day. Now he has one.
And Oklahoma State Would Love to Have Him Back
Fallah averaged 14.7 points and six rebounds per game last season, both career highs. That's not some end-of-the-bench player trying to squeeze out another season.
A healthy Fallah would give Lutz an experienced, proven interior piece on a roster Oklahoma State believes can make a run.
more importantly, he'd get an opportunity to finish his Oklahoma State career on his terms.
Final Thoughts
Nothing is guaranteed yet. There's more legal process ahead. There's plenty of ACL rehab ahead.
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We don't know when—or ultimately whether—Fallah will take the floor for Oklahoma State again. But compare Wednesday to where we stood in February.
Fallah tore his ACL, hobbled into a press conference and emotionally thanked Oklahoma State because everyone believed his college career was finished.
Six months later, he's been granted a temporary restraining order allowing him to return to the program while fighting for another season.
That's quite a turn. What looked like Parsa Fallah's Oklahoma State goodbye might have simply been an intermission.
