While it’s been nearly a decade since Oregon’s exciting run to the Final Four in 2017, the program has been in an era of prolonged success under Dana Altman. Last season was a different story, as a 12-20 finish was actually the first time the Ducks failed to win 20 games since Altman became coach in 2010. Clearly, tying for 15th place in the Big Ten is far short of Oregon’s goals and there’s certainly hope that things will be different next year.
What’s most notable is how different the roster will look, and there’s a great number of departures. Fantastic 7-footer Nate Bittle is out of eligibility while TK Simpkins is gone as well. Jackson Shelstad transferred to Louisville and the Ducks lost several other pieces in the offseason. The only notable returning player is Sean Stewart, the two-time transfer forward who might have found a home in Eugene and will certainly get more opportunities as a senior.
New Ducks in Eugene
Among the newcomers is 4-star forward Tajh Ariza, a Top 40 prospect and the highlight of the recruiting class. The bulk clearly comes from a packed transfer class, especially with many holes to fill. In the frontcourt, Andrew Meadow from Boise State and Taylor Bol Bowen from Alabama are big additions. No one is sleeping on Tyrone Riley, a guard from San Francisco, while other high-major talent includes Jasper Johnson from Kentucky and Dwayne Aristode out of Arizona.
There’s another power conference player added into the mix that gets today’s focus and that’s Fred Payne. A 6-2 combo guard out of Grambling, Louisiana, Payne spent his first three collegiate seasons at Boston College. He barely saw the court as a freshman and was a backup in year two, but this past season really saw him develop into a playmaker. Payne averaged 15.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists and was a full-time starter in Boston College’s backcourt.
Will be a new look
The thing with these new-look Ducks is that they lost basically every piece of their backcourt and now land a veteran who’s shown that he can play at a high level. Payne isn’t the flashiest name and his shooting numbers certainly leave something to be desired, but if his game as a whole can take another step forward at Oregon then he could become something special.
It’s new talent galore in this backcourt and there’s no telling which of these players actually shines this season. From where we’re sitting, Payne not only brings the best numbers, but he’s experienced and that veteran presence certainly helps on a roster full of underclassman additions. We’ll see just how the Ducks respond this season after last year’s disappointment and if this new mix hits the right notes.
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