The Oregon Ducks are still several months away from playing basketball again, but preparations for the 2024-25 men’s basketball season are underway, and things are getting exciting. The Ducks have added four talented players from the transfer portal, a sharpshooting JUCO guard, and a high school big man for next fall.
As a team, Oregon’s identity will change a lot from last season to the next. The Ducks will be left without their two biggest postseason producers from last season — N’Faly Dante and Jermaine Couisnard — and young players like Jackson Shelstad and KJ Evans will have to take on a heavier load. But if Shelstad and Evans can rise to the occasion, the Ducks of new will be scary.
Another reason to get excited for next year is Oregon’s fresh start in the Big Ten. Come November, the Ducks will have a new slew of opponents to play and rivalries to grow. It’s unfair to place expectations on a basketball team in early May, but with who Oregon has returning and who they’ve added, it’s hard not to be optimistic about how the Ducks will fare in their first season as a Big Ten basketball team.
Below is a glance at what the Ducks roster looks like right now. I also break down all of Oregon’s offseason additions and how I can see each player fitting into the lineup.
(Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
Career Stats (Oregon): 15.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.3 steals, 39.9 FG%
Analysis: Jermaine Couisnard’s elevation at the end of the season and in the postseason was spectacular, and it was paramount for Oregon’s success in March. But now, after six years of college hoops, Couisnard is out of eligibility and will test his hand in the pros, wherever that may be.
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Career Stats: 11.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.3 blocks, 65.4 FG%
Analysis: When the buzzer sounded on Oregon’s season, everyone thought we’d seen the last of N’Faly Dante in a Ducks uniform. But in April, Dante filed for a medical hardship waiver, hoping to gain an extra year of eligibility, citing the time he missed in 2020-21 — when he only played six games — because of injury. Unfortunately, the waiver was denied, as was an appeal to the NCAA, ending Dante’s career with the Ducks, unceremoniously.
(Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)
Career Stats (Oregon): 2.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 48.9 FG%
Analysis: Mahamadou Diawara was a key depth piece for the Ducks in 2023, especially at the beginning of the season when N’Faly Dante and Nate Bittle were out, leaving Diawara as the team’s only center. Down the stretch of the season, Diawara had some miscues, but he was still an important player for Oregon off the bench.
(Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
Eligibility Remaining: 3 years
2023 Stats: 12.8 points, 2.8 assists, 2.8 rebounds, 45.0 FG%, 34.5 3P%
Analysis: With Couisnard gone and Dante likely gone, Jackson Shelstad is the Ducks’ next man up. We saw plenty of flashes from Shelstad in his freshman season, but with a year of experience, he could be really special. The West Linn native could stand to improve his defense and his offensive facilitation, but there is no ceiling on what Shelstad can do at Oregon, and beyond. There’s already a lot of excitement about this team’s chance next season, and it’s only April. The big reason to be excited?: Jackson Shelstad.
Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Eligibility Remaining: 3 years
2023 Stats: 7.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.2 steals, 1.0 blocks, 44.6 FG%
Analysis: Shelstad is primed to have a spectacular season, but KJ Evans is right up there with him. Evans was one of three 5-star recruits (along with Shelstad) in the Ducks 2023 recruiting class, and in his freshman season, his raw ability was clear to see. With a year of experience and a summer to develop, Evans could be a top player for Oregon next fall. The Ducks need Evans to find consistency in his game, but once he does, he’ll be able to dismantle defenses with power and finesse on the block and on the perimeter.
Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Eligibility Remaining: 2 years
2023 Stats: 10.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 1.0 blocks, 48.7 FG% (5 games played)
Analysis: Nate Bittle will be a keystone player for Oregon next season since he’s the only player on the Ducks roster over 6’9″. The Ducks will need his size and skill to own the post — the area where Oregon, historically, does most of their scoring. There’s a chance the Ducks could go small next year and have Evans start at center, but right now, I expect Bittle to be the Ducks five-man.
Syndication: The Register Guard
Eligibility Remaining: 1 year
2023 Stats: 7.9 points, 2.3 assists, 2.0 rebounds, 46.2 FG%, 38.5 3P%
Analysis: Keeshawn Barthelemy’s season-ending injury against Arizona this season was a gut-punch to the Ducks, and in the postseason, Barthelemy would’ve been massive for Oregon. Throughout the last two seasons, Barthelemy has been the Ducks’ most consistent three-point shooter, and he seems to always make the big shot when Oregon can’t get anything to fall. Whether he’s coming off the bench as the sixth man or is Oregon’s starting two-guard, Barthelemy will be an impact player for the Ducks in 2024-25.
(Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
Eligibility Remaining: 2 years
2023 Stats: 7.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 41.5 FG%, 35.9 3P%
Analysis: Bam Tracey was an important portal addition last season, but there are areas of his game that could use improvement. The season before Tracey joined the Ducks, he was a prolific three-point shooter, shooting 43.3% from deep. Last season, those numbers dipped to 35.9%. Not bad, but in 2024-25, a higher three-point clip from Tracey would unlock a lot for the Ducks offense.
Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports
Eligibility Remaining: 4 years
2023 Stats: 1.2 points, 0.6 rebounds, 0.2 assists, 60.0 FG% (5 games, 32 total minutes played)
Analysis: Mookie Cook’s role next season is hard to predict because his ceiling is so high, but we’ve seen so little of him because of his injuries. One day, Cook could be a superstar for the Oregon Ducks, but I’m not sure that this year is the year for that, since it will be hard for him to break into the starting lineup. Still, I think Cook could make valuable contributions off the bench as a scorer and a defender, allowing wings like Brandon Angel and Jadrian Tracey chances to rest comfortably.
(Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)
Eligibility Remaining: 1 year
2023 Stats: 6.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 40.9 FG%
Analysis: The first of the Ducks’ two transfer portal losses is Brennan Rigsby, an athletic guard who made key offensive contributions in his two seasons at Oregon. Rigsby fell into a bit of a slump in the last few weeks of the 2023-24 season, but there were times during his Oregon career when Rigsby was the Ducks’ most impactful player on the bench. Rigsby is headed to Minnesota next year, so the Ducks will see him again, this time as a conference opponent.
Syndication: The Register Guard
Eligibility Remaining: 1 year
2023 Stats: 7.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 45.9 FG%
Analysis: Kario Oquendo’s season at Oregon likely wasn’t what he envisioned when he chose to come to Eugene. Oquendo was a good player for the Ducks off the bench and was probably the best athlete on the roster, but he also played the fewest minutes per game of his career and had his least productive season. In his final year of eligibility, Oquendo will be an SMU Mustang (a school joining the ACC, which is a prolific basketball conference) and will, hopefully, play a bigger role.
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Eligibility Remaining: 1 year
2023 Stats: 10.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 43.0 FG%, 36.9 3P%
Analysis: TJ Bamba is the addition I’m most excited to see play for the Ducks next fall. Throughout his college career, Bamba has been dependable on offense and defense. More importantly, I think his playstyle will gel perfectly with Jackson Shelstad making a fantastic backcourt. Shelstad works with the ball in his hands, and Bamba is great off the ball, getting open and knocking down open shots with consistency. Bamba can also put the ball on the deck and finish at the rim, which I think will make him a key player for Oregon next year.
Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Eligibility Remaining: 1 year
2023 Stats: 13.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 56.7 FG%, 44.7 3P%
Analysis: Looking at Brandon Angel’s 2023 stat line, it’s hard to see how he could be left out of the starting lineup, but we’re also running out of spots on the floor. Poor three-point shooting was one of the biggest limits to Oregon’s potential last season, and Angel shoots the three very well. At 6’8″, Angel also provides good size for a wing player, which is something that will be key for the Ducks on both ends of the court.
Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Eligibility Remaining: 1 year
2023 Stats: 15.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.7 steals, 46.2 FG%, 30.8 3P%
Analysis: Ra’Heim Moss is another exciting transfer the Ducks have picked up this offseason, and he could be an important depth guard. Moss is a scorer, with the bulk of his shots coming at the rim, where he finishes at an efficient rate. And while he’s not a great three-point shooter, he’s comfortable pulling from range if needed. Moss is also a capable and willing passer, creating a lot of buckets for his teammates. It’s hard to say who between Moss, Barthelemy, and Dez Lindsay will back up Shelstad at point guard, but either way, the bench unit will have a capable leader.
Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Eligibility Remaining: 1 year
2023 Stats: 10.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 57.5 FG%
Analysis: It appears that the Ducks were ready for the news that they eventually got on the N’Faly Dante front, as they got a commitment form former Georgetown big man Supreme Cook just a day later. Cook has a lot of experience, having played for three seasons at Fairfield before moving to the Hoyas for a year. He should be a heavy rotation player for this talented Oregon team.
Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Eligibility Remaining: 2 years
2023 Stats: 16.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 50.0 FG%, 41.5 3P%
Analysis: The last transfer addition for the Ducks is junior college transfer guard Dez Lindsay, who is coming to Oregon from Florida Southwestern State College, the same school Bam Tracey transferred from a year ago. From his freshman to sophomore season, Lindsay improved his three-point shooting tremendously and his clip from three increased by 12 percentage points. If Lindsay can maintain his efficiency from three (41.5%) at the Power Five level, he will be invaluable for Oregon.
(Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
247Sports Recruiting Profile: 3-star (No. 31 Center in 2024)
After Vyctorious Miller’s decommitment in late March, the Ducks’ sole recruit in the class of 2024 is Ibrahima Traore, a 3-star center from Orlando, Florida. Traore probably won’t see the floor much as a freshman, but Oregon doesn’t have as much frontcourt depth as they do guards, so he may need to fill holes if any of the Ducks’ big men miss time.
