Dana Altman has built the Oregon basketball program into a consistent Pac-12 powerhouse and that should shine through this year as the Ducks will once again compete for the conference crown.
OREGON DUCKS
Last Season: 1st, 14-4 in Pac-10, 31-7 overall
Predicted Pac-12 Finish: 2nd
Projected Depth Chart
F/C: Chris Boucher (Sr)/Kavell Bigby-Williams (Jr)/M.J. Cage (Fr)
PF: Jordan Bell (Jr)/Roman Sorkin (So)
SF: Dillon Brooks (Jr)/Keith Smith (Fr)
G: Tyler Dorsey (So)/Dylan Ennis (Sr)
PG: Casey Benson (Jr)/Payton Pritchard (Fr)
Gone: F-Elgin Cook, SF-Dwayne Benjamin, PG-Kendall Small (transfer-Pacific)
Strengths:
The Ducks return their starting backcourt of Tyler Dorsey and Casey Benson while also bringing back Dylan Ennis, who missed most of last season due to injury, and adding top 100 recruit Payton Pritchard. That provides Dana Altman with a collection of guards who are interchangable as they are all capable of running the point or playing off the ball.
Oregon also has tremendous length inside with Chris Boucher and Jordan Bell patrolling the paint. That duo combined to average nearly five blocked shots per game. The Ducks also bring in 6-11 JUCO transfer Kavell Bigby-Williams who is also an extremely intimidating rim protector.
Oregon basketball Question Marks:
I might be reaching here but if there is a weakness to this Oregon team it might be their three-point shooting. Only Tyler Dorsey shot higher than 37% from distance. A healthy Ennis should make Oregon more dangerous from the perimeter and Pritchard can stroke it from the outside.
Oregon basketball Player to Watch:
Dillon Brooks tested the NBA Draft waters this summer but wisely chose to return for his junior year. At 6-7, 225 pounds, Brooks is a difficult match up for opposing teams on the wing due to his strength and physicality. He can muscle guys down low and use his thick frame to get to the basket.
X-Factor:
Like Brooks, Dorsey flirted with entering the NBA Draft during the off-season. With Benson being an extremely efficient point guard who rarely turns the ball over, Dorsey plays off the ball more and is used more as a scoring guard.
Looking Ahead to 2017-18 Oregon basketball:
A lot will hinder on whether Brooks and/or Dorsey leave for the NBA Draft. The Ducks do add Georgetown transfer, Paul White who would fill in for Brooks at forward. Altman has also secured a pair of commitments for the 2017 class in combo guard Victor Bailey and small forward Abu Kigab who are borderline top 100 prospects.
Key Non-Conference Games:
11/15 at Baylor
11/17 vs. Valparaiso
11/21 vs. Georgetown (Maui Invitational)
11/22 vs. Wisconsin/Tennessee (Maui Invitational)
11/23 vs. North Carolina/Chaimnade/UConn/Oklahoma State (Maui Invitational)
11/28 vs. Boise State
12/11 vs. Alabama
12/17 vs. UNLV (in Portland)
12/20 vs. Fresno State
David Kay is a senior feature NBA Draft, NBA, and college basketball writer for the Sports Bank. He also heads up the NBA and college basketball material at Walter Football.com and is a former contributor at The Washington Times Communities. David has appeared on numerous national radio programs spanning from Cleveland to New Orleans to Milwaukee to Honolulu. He also had the most accurate 2011 NBA Mock Draft and the most accurate 2012 NBA Mock Draft on the internet (Yup, repeat champ… #humblebrag), and finished with the second most accurate 2013 NBA Mock Draft (nearly a three-peat.) You can follow him on Twitter at David_Kmiecik.