Oregon Basketball: Projected starting lineup and depth chart for 2021-22 season

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A healthy season for N’Faly Dante unlocks a lot of possibilities for Oregon. He tore his ACL in just the sixth game of last season and the Ducks scrambled to fill his position throughout the entirety of their year. He’s a five-star recruit that is a force within the paint. He averaged 1.2 blocks and 5.8 rebounds in just 17 minutes per game when he was healthy. If he can stay on the court the Ducks zone defense becomes one of the toughest to go up against in the country.

Luckily for Altman, he was able to add insurance with the previously mentioned Guerrier but also top 25 recruit Nathan Bittle. Bittle is not yet the force inside that Dante tracks to be but has a more diverse offensive game. He’s a decent passer and is comfortable handling the ball and leading the fast break. He is a capable defender that shows the ability to contest shots down low. He needs to add more weight as he does sometimes get pushed out of the post due to weighing in at 200 lbs.

Isaac Johnson and Franck Kepnang will be additional reinforcements if Dante is unable to log the minutes the team hoped. Johnson is a freshman returning from a 2-year LDS mission and will likely be adjusting to the college game for the most part. Kepnang is a high octane enforcer that operates similarly to Dante but with less touch and a more limited offensive skill set.

The Duck’s size and depth should help them try and get back to where they were last year: atop the conference.