Pac-12 Basketball: 2022 biggest offseason winners and losers

Pac-12 Basketball was one of the most top-heavy conferences last season, with Arizona, UCLA, and USC all having clear separation from the rest of the conference. Those three were also the lone NCAA tournament participants, with the Wildcats earning a one seed, Bruins a four seed, and the Trojans a seven seed.

For these three schools, it was largely due to foreseeable growth from key contributors and major returning pieces. That will likely be the case again, though the separation and dominance at the top may be lessened with the losses at the wings for Arizona and the interior for USC.

Here are some winners and losers this offseason in the Pac-12.

Winner – Oregon

Last year was disastrous for Dana Altman and his Ducks. After two straight trips to the Sweet 16, Altman struggled to get his classic transfer-heavy squad to come together by conference play. Their 11-9 record was the worst in his tenure since his first season as the Ducks head coach going 7-11.

But the pieces that didn’t work left the program and key contributor Will Richardson decided to return and utilize his extra year of eligibility. Quincy Guerrier and N’Faly Dante also decided to return to the program, maintaining vital experience in the frontcourt. In terms of portal wins, their addition of South Carolina’s leading scorer Jermain Couisnard could make a high-octane backcourt next to Richardson.

But the big win was adding Kel’el Ware into the fold. Ware has the makeup of a one-and-done lottery pick that could play the five or even alongside Dante. While still raw, Ware has shown the ability to extend his game away from the basket and an intriguing ability to play in transition and attack downhill from the wing. How the Ducks handle their immense depth at the center position (five-star 2021 prospect Nate Bittle is looking for a breakout opportunity to boot) will be something to pay attention to throughout the season.