Dana Altman and the Oregon Duck men’s basketball team have secured a commitment from Villanova transfer wing TJ Bamba, according to a report from James Crepea of The Oregonian. Bamba will have one year of eligibility remaining.
Earlier this month, the Ducks picked up Stanford forward Brandon Angel and Toledo guard Ra’Heim Moss in the transfer portal, but the addition of Bamba is even more exciting. After losing senior guard Jermaine Couisnard this offseason, the Ducks have a true two-guard to play in the backcourt with sophomore point guard Jackson Shelstad.
In his four-year career, Bamba has averaged 9.8 points per game, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. Bamba has increased his scoring ability in the last two years, averaging 12.86 points per game on 42.8% shooting since Fall 2022.
Former Villanova, Washington State guard TJ Bamba commits to transfer to Oregonhttps://t.co/oVgH9Kbyyw
— James Crepea (@JamesCrepea) May 2, 2024
Bamba isn’t a stranger to playing out west, spending three seasons at Washington State before transferring to Villanova for the 2023-24 season. In March 2022 — the last time he played Oregon — Bamba scored 19 points in the Cougars’ losing effort to the Ducks in the Pac-12 Championship.
Playing with Shelstad, Bamba will have to take on a less ball-dominant role than he has in the past, but playing off the ball is one of the areas where he excels. At 6’5″, Bamba shoots a good clip from three (38% in his career) and he becomes even better on open catch-and-shoots. With Shelstad’s ability to drive the ball and draw help defense, Bamba could be a dangerous kickout threat on the wing.