Oregon Basketball: What makes the Ducks the preseason Pac-12 favorites?

What goals should be in place for next season?

With all of this talent on the roster, there is no reason to believe that Oregon cannot win the Pac-12 title in 2018-19. There is a nice balance between experience and youth on the squad, something that has contributed to a winning recipe in Eugene in the past. When looking at the roster makeup of other teams in the league, there are very few who can keep up with the Ducks on paper.

Unlike years in the past, Arizona simply does not have enough firepower returning or coming in. NBA Draft decisions and the FBI Investigation definitely did a number on the former powerhouse in the conference. It is worth wondering whether or not Sean Miller will ever get to that elusive Final Four.

The squads that look most likely to compete alongside Oregon at the top are UCLA and USC. Both of these programs also return some key players from last season and bring in top-15 recruiting classes of their own. However, in my opinion, the Ducks lead that group because they have the best returning player (Pritchard) and the best recruiting class of the bunch.

Next: Way-too-early 2019 Bracketology

Overall, 2018-19 should be a fun season for Oregon basketball. They are led by some of the most exciting recruits in school history and there will be plenty of publicity headed their way. The Pac-12 may be headed towards another down season but at least the Ducks should enter this upcoming year as a top-25 team with aspirations of a deep NCAA Tournament run.