Oregon Basketball: 2021-22 season preview and outlook for Ducks

Key reserves

There’s a line in an old movie that says, “ducks fly together”, that’s certainly the case when it comes to Oregon’s bench and their ability to bring three 6-11 players into the game.

Nate Bittle is a highly-touted recruit that has the skill set to play both inside and out. If Altman decides he wants a lineup with more flexibility, the freshman could find his way into the starting five. Isaac Johnson is a member of the class of 2019 who finally joins the Ducks after fulfilling a two-year mission. Like Bittle, Johnson has the ability to step out and knock down shots on the perimeter and protect the rim on the defensive end. The last of the 6-11 trio is sophomore Franck Kepang who at 6-11 250 lbs gives the Ducks another big body to back up Dante.

One of the more underrated members of the rotation will be 6-6 Rivaldo Soares who plaid at South Plains leading them to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament averaging 15.2 points and 6.8 rebounds while earning an All-American nod. Another guy who could blossom with an increased role as a backup wing is 6-8 sophomore Lok Wur. In a very limited role last season he averaged 3.6 points and three rebounds in 12 minutes of action in the three games he registered double-digit minutes.

The main guard off the bench is going to be grad transfer Jacob Young who spent the last two years at Rutgers. The 6-2 senior was second on the Scarlet Knights with 14.1 points and led the team by dishing out 3.4 assists and swiping 1.2 balls per game.

Young gives Oregon three guys who can handle the ball and even though the guard rotation may be a bit thin, Young along with Harmon and Richardson give the Ducks three guys who can facilitate the offense and get buckets for a team that averaged 75 points per game last season and ranked 10th in the country in offensive efficiency at KenPom.