Tag: ducks in the nba

Analysis: How Eugene Omoruyi could crack the Mavericks’ roster

A look at how former Ducks wing Eugene Omoruyi could crack the rotation for the Dallas Mavericks next year.

While Chris Duarte was the only Oregon Ducks player selected in the 2021 NBA draft, he was not the only one to get a step closer to realizing his professional dream.

Eugene Omoruyi, a Rutgers transfer who starred for the Ducks in his lone season with the team in 2020-2021, signed a two-way contract with the Dallas Mavericks shortly after the draft concluded on Thursday evening.

A two-way contract indicates Omoruyi will split his time next season between Dallas and the team’s G-League affiliate, the Texas Legends, based in nearby Frisco.

Omoruyi was one of a handful of undrafted free agents signed by Dallas, who did not have any picks in the draft. Omoruyi joins Feron Hunt from SMU, EJ Onu from NAIA school Shawnee State, and Carlik Jones from Louisville.

For Omoruyi, trying to crack Dallas’ rotation this season will be an uphill battle, thanks to the presence of multiple young wings already on the roster including former Pac-12 foes Tyler Bey and Tyrell Terry.

However, Bey and fellow shooting guard Nate Hinton are restricted free agents, while starters Josh Richardson and Dorian Finney-Smith are set to hit free agency after the upcoming season.

Expecting Omoruyi to work his way into a starting role after one year on a two-way contract is obviously bold, but it would not be surprising to see him stick around this year and eventually play his way into a real role with this team, which could be enhanced next year if some of their wing depth departs in the offseason.

Perhaps the biggest area Omoruyi can make himself valuable is as an outside shooter. He was an abysmal 23% three point shooter in three years at Rutgers, attempting less than one per game, before blossoming into a 37.6% shooter on 3.9 attempts per game with the Ducks.

If his outside shooting continues to improve, and the rest of his well-balanced game plays up at the next level, he could easily become a solid role player for a very good Mavericks squad before the year is up.

[listicle id=4293]

Analysis: How Chris Duarte fits on the Indiana Pacers

A look at former Oregon Ducks star guard Chris Duarte and his fit on his new NBA team, the Indiana Pacers, who selected him 13th overall.

As the oldest player in the 2021 NBA draft, former Oregon Ducks guard Chris Duarte was generally expected to be selected by a team on the verge of an NBA championship, where he could contribute right away as a bench option.

Instead, he was gobbled up by the Indiana Pacers with the 13th overall pick, just sneaking into the back end of the lottery while joining a team that missed the playoffs in the Eastern Conference last year, and looks more like a team entering a rebuild than one trying to win a trophy.

Still, looking at Indiana’s second unit, particularly defensively, makes it pretty easy to see how Duarte could be a good fit.

The Pacers dealt Aaron Holiday to the Wizards on draft day and seem poised to let Doug McDermott walk in free agency, giving them limited scoring options on the second unit.

Duarte can fill the role as a three point specialist coming off the bench, something Indiana is lacking on their current roster, while also providing a much, much needed defensive presence.

Duarte can slide in alongside Justin Holiday and/or Oshae Brissett on Indiana’s second unit, which should create a much more stout defensive group especially if paired with Goga Bitadze and Edmond Sumner.

The 24-year-old rookie from Oregon should carve out a decent role in his rookie year, launching a few three pointers per game which will open up the floor for Malcolm Brogdon and Domantas Sabonis to flourish in the two-man game – and his defense will be much needed for a team that struggled on that side of the floor last year.

It may not be the bright shiny lights of Los Angeles or New York, but Duarte looks like a key piece for a Pacers team that might be looking to make a push sooner than expected.

[listicle id=4274]