Oregon Basketball: 3 biggest storylines for Ducks in 2020 offseason

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JANUARY 18: Payton Pritchard #3 of the Oregon Ducks celebrates after defeating the Washington Huskies 64-61 in overtime during their game at Hec Edmundson Pavilion on January 18, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – JANUARY 18: Payton Pritchard #3 (middle) celebrates with Chris Duarte #5 of the Oregon Ducks (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

What are the biggest current storylines this offseason for Oregon Basketball?

Coming into last season, Oregon Basketball was viewed as a preseason favorite to win the Pac-12. With a star point guard and top-5 incoming recruiting class, the Ducks were certainly in “win-now” mode. They looked strong all year long, including wins over No. 5 Michigan on the road, as well as non-conference wins over Seton Hall and Memphis. The Memphis victory was even more impressive, considering that it was one of the few games projected top-5 NBA Draft pick James Wiseman played in.

Oregon continued their solid play in the conference, ultimately winning the regular-season title with a 13-5 record. Payton Pritchard was named Pac-12 Player of the Year and All-American for his efforts, and the Ducks themselves were a projected top-4 seed before the early end to the season.

As we look towards the next season, the Ducks are going to look very different from a roster perspective. Not only is Pritchard gone, but so are a few others. That includes big men Francis Okoro and CJ Walker, two players who would’ve had to fight for 10+ mpg next season. Only one true freshman joins the team, but as does several talented transfers. Compared to some of the other teams in the Pac-12, there is at least some continuity for them to have an early edge.

There is a lot to talk about for the Ducks, with several months before the official start of the 2020-21 season. Here’s a look at three key storylines for the program at this current time.

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