When the ball tips off in November, the Ducks will have a brand new look. Let's take a look:
Key Departures
After a tough second season in the Big Ten where they went just 5-15 in conference play, the Dana Altman led Ducks have lost an army of players from last season's team.
The most important players who will be departing Eugene are Jackson Shelstad, Nate Bittle and Kwame Evans Jr. These guys were once thought to be a three-headed beast after taking Oregon to back-to-back tournaments in 2024 and 2025. While Bittle is out of eligibility after five seasons with the Ducks, Shelstad and Evans decided to take their talents elsewhere through the NCAA's transfer portal.
Shelstad ended up signing to Pat Kelsey and Louisville, as he committed shortly after taking a visit with former Kansas big man, Flory Bidunga.
As for Evans, he found himself a new home at Villanova, where he is expected to thrive in a brand new role before seeking professional hoops following his senior year.
The Ducks also lost assets like Jamari Phillips and Devon Pryor to the transfer portal, while Dez Lindsay, Takai Simpkins and Oleksandr Kobzystyi all ran out of eligibility.
The Returners
Following the chaos of the transfer portal, the Ducks are set to return just four players as of now, two of which being walk-ons.
Among those in line to return are soon to be senior forward, Sean Stewart. Stewart had a big role this past season for Oregon after transferring following stints at both Duke and Ohio State. The Florida native started in 23 games, while playing in all 32. He averaged 6.5 points and 5.2 rebounds, shooting over 50%. Stewart, who is a former five-star recruit, is expected to have a big role in his senior campaign as the lone experienced returner.
In addition to Stewart, walk-ons Luke Johnson and Rian Gonzales are set to return to Eugene. Johnson, who will be a junior in the fall, actually saw action in 12 games this past year. Though, it is unlikely to see him have valuable minutes this upcoming season.
As for Gonzales, the rising sophomore did not see any time on the floor in the 2025-26 season.
Lastly, despite entering the transfer portal earlier this offseason, rising sophomore Wei Lin is still yet to find a home. In the chance he does end up returning to Oregon, he could be another key piece. Lin was thrown into a way bigger role than expected in his freshman year after injuries surrounding the Ducks forced him into the starting lineup. Lin struggled with inconsistency shooting the ball, but in 30 games he averaged 6.6 points.
New Additions
In an eventful offseason for the Ducks, Dana Altman was able to assemble what looks to be a competitive team for the new season.
Starting with high school signees, Oregon will have three coming in. Excitingly, Tajh Ariza, the son of former NBA journeyman Trevor Ariza, will be heading the the Pacific Northwest to join the flock. Additionally, Seven Spurlock, a 6-foot-5 small forward will also join Oregon. Lastly, Altman will bring in a freak-athlete in Kendre Harrison, who will also be playing tight end on the Oregon football team this fall.
The transfer portal is where the Ducks staff really got to work. The team brought in eight different transfers from eight different schools. These players range from sharpshooting guards to lockdown bigs, and many of which already have solid experience.
To note a few players we could be seeing in the backcourt,
Rising junior (redshirted) Fred Payne spent three seasons at Boston College before committing to Oregon. Payne averaged a career-high 15.8 points this past season. Moving on, Jasper Johnson, a former five-star recruit, selected Oregon after 35 games with Kentucky. The lefty combo-guard has a wide arsenal and a tremendous amount of potential, which should make it fun to watch the opportunities he will have as a Duck. To round out the backcourt, combo-guard Jerry Easter II will head from in conference-rival USC up to Eugene. Easter played in 29 games for the Trojans and will be a threat for the Ducks off the bench if he can develop a consistent three-point jumper.
As for the wings and the frontcourt,
Tyrone Riley IV is one that sticks out heavily. The rising junior scored 12.2 points per game this past year with San Francisco on a brilliant 47.2% shooting. Riley will most definitely have a big role for the Ducks. Another player that particularly stands out is Alabama transfer Taylor Bol Bowen. Bol Bowen stands at 6-foot-10 and can space the floor in disruptive ways. He also is known for him rim-protecting abilities. Next is San Diego State transfer, Pharaoh Compton. Compton is another incoming Duck with experience at a high level as he has played in 63 games for the Aztecs across two seasons. Last year Compton was able to score over seven points off the bench. And lastly but certainly not least, Andrew Meadow decided to take his talents to Oregon for his last season of college hoops. In his time at Boise State, Meadow has excelled in the three-ball, something that can be very useful for the Ducks this upcoming season after struggles from behind the arc in 2025-26. Meadow's package also includes interior scoring, which can make him a threat at all three levels.
Nonetheless, it should be exciting to see how the team Coach Altman has put together will perform after the Ducks worst season in recent memory. Although unpredictable with scattered pieces from every direction coming together, it looks like the Ducks should be able to give opposing teams problems with the amount of versatility they are bringing in.
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