Oregon Basketball: 2018-19 season preview for the Ducks

Key Reserves

In regards to Oregon’s depth this season, head coach Dana Altman has a strong mix of experience and youth. Perhaps most notably, seniors Ehab Amin (transfer from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi) and Paul White will bring plenty of playing experience to the roster. They may not be starter-caliber players but they are the only seniors on the roster and will therefore take on de facto leadership roles this season.

Amin, a 6-foot-4 guard, sat out last season due to transfer rules but posted 16.7 points (.462/.289/.716), 6.6 rebounds, and 3.8 steals per game in 2016-17. Although the Pac-12 will be a step up from the Southland in regards to competition, there should be no questions about Amin’s skill level, especially defensively. White, on the other hand, is a 6-foot-8 forward who played 23.4 minutes per game for the Ducks last season while posting 9.4 points (.472/.352/.837) and 3.5 rebounds.

After this experienced duo of reserves, Coach Altman will once again turn to inexperienced youngsters. In fact, it seems likely that the rest of Oregon’s bench will be comprised of underclassmen, most of whom are freshmen. Will Richardson (No. 8 SG), Francis Okoro (No. 7 C), and Miles Norris (No. 17 PF) are all top-100 recruits from this 2018 class and should immediately compete for playing time. It may be difficult for these youngsters to crack the starting lineup but playing time should be available.

Additionally, returning sophomore Abu Kigab should compete for minutes. He only played 7.7 minutes per game last season but has more collegiate experience than most players on the roster.