The Ducks looked solid in their first game of the season, beating Texas Southern 83-66. Here’s an instant reaction from the game.
At long last, the Oregon Ducks’ men’s basketball team kicked off its 2021 season at Matthew Knight Arena, picking up a 83-66 season-opening win over Texas Southern.
This was our first opportunity to see a whole host of new players on the roster, several of whom came to Eugene via the transfer portal this offseason.
In a surprise to many, the Ducks started out the game with a small-ball lineup, utilizing three guards and two forwards. They then went on to shoot 19 three-pointers in the first half. That trend continued in the second half, with Oregon attempting 36 for the entire game.
As if Dana Altman’s Oregon Ducks basketball team wasn’t scary enough entering the 2022-23 season, he goes ahead and adds a member of the House of El.
Maybe five-star center Kel’el Ware isn’t Superman, but he is the No. 3 center in the Class of 2022 according to 247sports.com, will be joining what is already a big and talented squad.
The Little Rock, Ark. native, had scholarship offers from nearly everyone down south including Arkansas, Texas, and Memphis. Not only is he one of the best centers in the country, but he’s the No. 15 overall recruit in the nation.
Ware becomes the second recruit of the ’22 class to commit to Oregon. The country’s No. 1 point guard, Dior Johnson, had given Altman his verbal commitment in June.
Ware walks on the floor with legit size and with great length. He moves well and has natural timing while blocking shots and around the rim. He has recently started showing touch, extending out the three. As Ware continues to get his motor running and figures out his offensive game there is a lot of upside as the frame is just too good to overlook.
With Johnson and Ware, the 2022-23 Ducks are looking to be a formidable power not only in the Pac-12 but in the country. Oregon will have a huge front line consisting of five different 6-foot-11centers to choose from in N’Faly Dante, Franck Kepnang, Isaac Johnson, and Nathan Bittle.
Just add Ware to that mix and no team is going to even dare to drive to the hoop.
A flurry of offseason moves has Oregon basketball on the map, with many believing they can vie for a Pac-12 title and deep tournament run.
Five years ago, saying that your team was one of the best in the Pac-12 was a lot like bragging about your kid’s third-place finish in the elementary school talent show. Great job, but what are we really doing here?
The past decade for the conference has left a lot to be desired, with a lack of national champions and a select few deep tournament runs marring the Pac-12 as a whole and shedding doubt over the quality of teams. However, a resurgence in March of 2021 has things on the upswing. Impressive showings in the NCAA Tournament from Oregon, USC, UCLA, Oregon State have the conference registering a pulse for the first time in a while, and there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel.
For the first time in years, there is a belief that some teams out west can actually make noise on the national landscape, and a formidable opponent in March might be coming into form.
Among those teams to be a potential late-season darling is the Oregon Ducks, who are currently riding a high of landing numerous top-ranked transfers, and look to be as talented as any team that coach Dana Altman has ever had.
In his most recent conference rankings,The Athletic‘s Eamonn Brennan picked the Ducks to finish second in the conference, ranked only behind Johnny Juzang and the UCLA Bruins. Here is what Brennan had to say about Oregon:
And, yes, this roster looks unfamiliar. Will Richardson is the most important returner, and he was typically Oregon’s fourth or fifth offensive option; the losses of Chris Duarte (who is going to be a really good pro, just you wait) and Eugene Omoruyi especially will give this group a completely different feel from last season’s. But there will be similarities: With perimeter transfers De’Vion Harmon (Oklahoma), Jacob Young (Rutgers) and Quincy Guerrier (Syracuse), it’s not hard to imagine Oregon’s outside-in offense and matchup zone looks functioning in more or less the same way. The Ducks at their best were a matchup nightmare, a team of four fast 6-foot-5-ish shooters who could smell blood in the water. (Just ask Iowa.) This group will look a bit different in the specifics, but Altman’s ability to trim his team’s weaknesses and accentuate its strengths is a fixture of the Pac-12 men’s game each and every year. He’ll get them humming eventually.
The projected starters of Will Richardson, De’Vion Harmon, Jacob Young, Quincy Guerrier, and Franck Kepnang are impressive, but what the Ducks are bringing off the bench could be even more enthralling.
Rivaldo Soares, a JUCO All-American in 2020, will be joining 5-star prospects N’Faly Dante and Nathan Bittle. Oregon will also have Eric Williams Jr. returning, as well as a potentially dangerous Lok Wur in the paint.
With an impressive mix of size in the middle and speedy shooters on the perimeter, this really is shaping up to be one of the most talented teams that have come through Oregon in quite some time. The pieces may need a little bit of time to fit together in a perfect fashion, but Altman is a master artist who fans should have complete confidence in.
Getting picked to finish second in the Pac-12 is surely encouraging this far ahead of the season, but a deep tournament run seems to be in the cards for Oregon once again.
A look at the big names you won’t see in this year’s draft.
As we approach the early entry deadline for the 2021 NBA draft, we have a sense of which players are set to return for another year of college basketball.
While scouts are more focused on the draft on July 29, evaluators around the league already have tabs on the best prospects that will continue their time in the NCAA next season.
Note that this list does not include notable names who have declared for the 2020 NBA draft but are just “testing the waters” like Isaiah Jackson, Miles McBride, Marcus Bagley, JT Thor, Matthew Mayer and Jason Preston.
Instead, the following players have either announced that they are returning or are expected to return to their team for the upcoming 2021-22 campaign:
Many believe the NBA Draft will feature a stronger prospect pool in 2021 than what the 2020 class will offer. But it may get even deeper.
Many believe the NBA Draft will feature a stronger prospect pool in 2021 than what the 2020 class will offer. But it may get even deeper.
Our mock draft for 2021 featured blurbs on several high school juniors who have already reclassified to forego their senior seasons, including Terrence Clarke (Kentucky), Devin Askew (Kentucky) and JT Thor (uncommitted). Another high school junior who narrowly missed the cut was Cam Hayes, who committed to North Carolina State.
However, we believe that the topic of reclassification will become even more pressing in the coming few weeks and months. Perhaps one reason why high school juniors may want to join a class that is already loaded is the following year could become even more crowded.
It is fairly well known that the NBA may allow high school seniors to enter the draft in 2022 for the first time since Amir Johnson was selected in 2005. That means that the draft class will feature all of the usual college prospects as well as an influx of high school talent as well.
There would be an incentive, then, for top high school juniors to find a way to separate themselves by potentially showcasing what they are capable of when playing against NCAA talent. Scouts and executives are more familiar with evaluating college basketball players than high schoolers.
As such, here is what you need to know about the high school stars that are most rumored to join the ranks of the Class of 2020 and then potentially be eligible to be selected in the 2021 NBA Draft.
JONATHAN KUMINGA
Forward, 6-foot-8, The Patrick School (New Jersey)
Background: Jonathan Kuminga is considered, nearly unanimously, the best high school junior in the country. He averaged 20.8 points per game on the Nike EYBL Division B circuit in 2019, showing his prolific scoring ability. Kuminga also had the second-most points per game (27.4) among all players in the Peach Jam Tournament last year. As recently noted by SB Nation’s Ricky O’Donnell, the forward could be a top-five pick in the 2021 NBA Draft if he chooses to reclassify. He will participate at the Basketball Without Borders Global Camp during All-Star Weekend in Chicago.
NCAA: Back in October, the top prospect announced that he was not going to reclassify. However, that has not quieted any of the speculations that he will forego his senior season and play college basketball next season. He narrowed his collegiate decision to ten schools in November 2019. Kuminga also had an official visit from Kentucky head coach John Calipari in January. Corey Evans of Rivals believes Duke could add Kuminga via reclassification to their Class of 2020. Evans has called his recruitment “fluid” so though the talk of him reclassifying was once silenced, it could easily change.
With the NBA trade deadline approaching, there may be some swaps of picks in the 2021 NBA Draft, which is considered to be a strong class.
With the NBA trade deadline approaching, there may be some swaps of picks in the 2021 NBA Draft, which is considered to be a strong class.
Now that the rosters for the McDonald’s All-American Game have been announced and the Hoophall Classic is complete, top prospects are emerging as future stars in the league.
This list does not include any of the top international prospects who will likely be selected in 2020 like Killian Hayes and Theo Maledon. It also does not mention any of the top returning players in the nation as it will be unclear who will opt to play in the NBA and it is still tough to predict at this point.
Instead, it offers an introduction to the current high school seniors and the international
All statistics are updated through February 3, 2020 and are pulled from D1Circuit.com, MaxPreps and RealGM unless stated otherwise.
1. Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State (Committed)
Catalina Fragoso-USA TODAY Sports
Guard, 6-foot-7, 18 years old, Montverde Academy (Florida)
Cade Cunningham is currently the anchor for Montverde Academy, which is being called the best high school team of all-time. They are currently ranked as the top school in the nation. The point forward is so good that an NBA scout recently told Yahoo’s Krysten Peek he would likely be the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft if he were eligible. That indicates he might already be the best player who is not currently in the league. For proof: Cunningham averaged 18.0 points and 8.5 assists per 36 minutes at the U19 World Cup, trailing just one player for total assists (40) during the tournament. With his size and his playmaking ability, he is already showing flashes of becoming a future franchise cornerstone.
2. Jalen Green, Uncommitted
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Guard, 6-foot-5, 17 years old, Prolific Prep (California)
Jalen Green is an incredibly explosive athlete who has improved as a shooter over the past few years as well. The scorer has become a more consistent and reliable option on the floor, offering an attacking mentality that will continue to develop as his competition continues. One of his crowning achievements thus far: He took home tournament MVP during the U17 World Cup in 2018, leading the United States to the gold medal behind 15.7 points per game. He averaged 7.7 three-pointers per 40 minutes during this competition, showing he is a fearless shooter. His natural stroke from the free-throw line shows that his three-point percentage will likely increase within time, too.
3. Evan Mobley, USC (Committed)
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Big, 7-foot-0, 18 years old, Rancho Christian (California)
Evan Mobley was 2019’s Gatorade Player of the Year in California and came into the summer as the highest-rated player on RSCI, which compiles all of the rankings on recruiting sites like 247 Sports and Rivals. The versatile big brags a 7-foot-5 wingspan with a 40-inch vertical leap, a rare measurement combination. He has recently been listed as a small forward, however, which Sports Illustrated’s Jeremy Woo says “points to the dissonance” between his current identity and the best eventual fit in the NBA for someone his size. Still, there is arguably more to like about Mobley’s potential than that of 2020 projected lottery big man James Wiseman.
4. Scottie Barnes, Florida State (Committed)
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Forward, 6-foot-8, 18 years old, Montverde Academy (Florida)
Scottie Barnes currently plays alongside Cunningham at Montverde Academy and has a lot to offer as he continues to develop. He is a stat-sheet stuffer capable of putting up impressive lines for points and rebounds as well as assists. Like Cunningham, he has a point-forward mentality which is elevated by the fact that he is also measured with an incredible 9-foot-1 standing reach. Barnes can be a plug-and-play option for almost any team on both offense and defense in the NCAA and eventually in the NBA. That was an especially attractive trait for him for Team USA in the U19 World Cup, where he was a strong facilitator from the elbow. He assisted on 16.8 percent of scores for his team when he was on the floor despite never acting as his offense’s primary playmaker.
5. Ziaire Williams, Uncommitted
(Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
Wing, 6-foot-8, 18 years old, Sierra Canyon (California)
Ziaire Williams is currently playing high school basketball at the high-profile Sierra Canyon. While he had to sit out the first few months of his senior year because of transfer rules, he has been a force to be reckoned with already. But that was no surprise for those who have followed the prospect. Williams led his AAU team (which also briefly included the aforementioned 2021 projected lottery pick Jalen Green) in points as well as rebounds and assists per game on the U17 circuit. The prospect has shown he is an above-average finisher near the rim, which will be important as he continues his growth. The Stepien’s Ross Homan also believes Williams can become the best shooter in this class. It will be fascinating to monitor his collegiate decision as he is the highest-rated recruit without an NCAA commitment yet.
