Pac-12 Basketball: Biggest question for each team entering 2020-21 season

Oregon – Can the transfers step in right away?

Oregon is the reigning Pac-12 champs, but gone are star point guard Payton Pritchard, Shakur Juiston, and transferees Isaac Okoro and C.J. Walker, so head coach Dana Altman has some holes to fill on the roster. In order to fill those holes, he has hit the transfer market pretty hard over the last two seasons and the fruits of that labor needs to pay off this season.

The Ducks have three transfers that will be hitting the floor for the first time this season and two others that could play this season if they are granted waivers by the NCAA. A couple of 6’6 forwards, Eugene Omoruyi and Eric Williams, Jr. join the team from Rutgers and Duquesne respectively after sitting out last season.

The frontcourt could get an even bigger boost if LJ Figueroa is ruled eligible after leaving St. John’s Amauri Hardy joins the Oregon backcourt after three successful at UNLV to take over the ballhandling duties for the Ducks and could be joined by shooting guard Aaron Estrada who comes over from Saint Peters.

Omoruyi did everything for the Scarlet Knights in 2018-19, leading the team in scoring (13.8) and rebounding (7.2) while being second on the team with 2.4 assists. Much like Omoruyi, Williams, Jr. led Duquesne in both scoring and rebounding his final season there, and if Figueroa becomes eligible, he will bring his 37% three-point shooting and ability to score at all three levels to the Ducks offense.

In Hardy, Altman is getting a reliable, experienced point guard that he can pencil in for at least 10 points and three assists every night while shooting 40% from the field. This would allow Oregon to easy freshman Jalen Terry into that role while keeping Will Richardson off the ball.