Pac-12 Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2021-22 season

Head coach Dana Altman has perfected finding the perfect pieces for his system. He utilizes Oregon’s name power on the recruiting trail and finds countless gems in the portal both from Division I and JuCo players alike. So after a season that saw the Ducks win the conference and make a run to the Sweet 16, college basketball fans should expect the Ducks to reload and vie for another conference title.

The loss of Chris Duarte, Eugene Omoruyi, and LJ Figueroa isn’t insignificant, but Altman added several key transfers that will look to immediately fill in those roles. Oklahoma State transfer De’Vion Harmon, Jacob Young from Rutgers, and JuCo star Rivaldo Soares will help solidify Altman’s backcourt that traditionally thrives on the length and perimeter defense.

The trio of transfers will join senior Will Richardson who was sidelined with a thumb injury for the majority of last season. He returned in February and averaged 11.3 points and 3.9 assists. Richardson is an elite shooter, averaging 39.3% from three throughout his college career. Richardson should excel with additional off-ball opportunities due to the addition of Harmon and Young.

Perhaps the biggest upgrade is the added depth found in the frontcourt this season. The Ducks had to play small due to big man N’Faly Dante tearing his ACL early in the season. With Dante back, the addition of Syracuse transfer Quincy Guerrier, 5-star freshman Nate Bittle and the maturation of senior Eric Williams the Ducks are well loaded to match up with anyone in the country.

Dante when right is a defensive force that will make interior scoring tough to come by for opponents. He averaged 8.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in just 17 minutes for the six games before he suffered his injury. Dante will likely play a similar minute total because of the addition of Bittle. The freshman has a far different style than Dante with an ability to shoot in the midrange and with a bit of ball-handling skills but is also a solid shot-blocker albeit with a slighter frame.

The wing and power forward positions will be the floor raisers that will ensure Altman’s defensive system remains stifling and that the Ducks own the glass. Guerrier will be immeasurably important at the power forward position and potentially as a small-ball five at times. The transfer from Syracuse has the prototypical length that the Orange recruit, and averaged 8.4 rebounds last season. Williams is also a plus rebounder, averaging 6.0 rebounds last year, and is a capable slasher averaging 10 points.

If the Ducks can stay healthy and the backcourt transfers gel within Altman’s style, expect the Ducks to surprise the national media and duke it out with the Bruins for the conference title and be one of the most potent offenses in the country with their solid floor spacers and elite 3-point shooting.