Dana Altman Suffers First Transfer Portal Loss of Oregon's Offseason

Oregon Ducks forward Kwame Evans Jr. is entering the transfer portal, according to On3's Joe Tipton, after spending three seasons in Eugene, Oregon, under Ducks coach Dana Altman.

While the college basketball season has not officially ended and the transfer portal doesn't open until after the national championship game on April 7, Evans is already ranked as one of the top players available in the portal. The number of athletes that intend to transfer will certainly grow, but Evans is currently the No. 4 overall and No. 2 power forward prospect in 247Sports' transfer rankings.

oregon ducks basketball transfer portal loss kwame evans jr dana altman jackson shelstad nate bittle big ten — Oregon forward Kwame Evans Jr. shoots free throws to seal the Ducks win as the Oregon Ducks host the Washington Huskies on March 7, 2026, at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Kwame Evans Jr.'s Oregon Career

The most recent year was Evans' most productive at Oregon, averaging 13.3 points per game while also playing over 30 minutes per game. During the 2025-26 season, Evans also had his best year from behind the arc with a three-point shooting percentage of 30.4.

Evans started 29 games as a true freshman, averaging 7.3 points per game and 4.9 rebounds per game, but his minutes dropped significantly in his sophomore year. Still, Evans averaged 6.1 points while shooting 46.5 percent from the field.

Instead of returning to lead the Ducks alongside guard Jackson Shelstad for the 2026-27 season, who missed a majority of the year with a hand injury that prematurely ended his season, Evans has opted to enter the transfer portal.

While Evans Jr. is a product of Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida, he is originally from the Baltimore, Maryland, area. As a result, a move back to the East Coast could be in store for Evans Jr. out of the portal.

What Dana Altman Said After Oregon's Season

The Ducks' season came to an end after losing to Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament, and Altman expressed his disappointment after a year in which Oregon's returning production gave the program high expectations.

"I'm disappointed for these guys (Nate Bittle and Kwame Evans Jr.). They've been in two NCAA Tournaments, last year, the last two years, and the expectations were for us to win again, and we didn't. Part of that's injuries; part of that's poor decisions that I made in recruiting and not getting enough experience," said Altman.

After finishing the season with a 12-20 record and an early exit in the Big Ten Tournament, the Ducks missed out on any invitations to the postseason. Oregon's season was derailed by injuries to Shelstad as well as center Nate Bittle, but the potential return of Shelstad and Evans was reason for optimism in Eugene. Now, Ducks fans will have to wait and see how Altman and the Oregon coaching staff decides to build out the roster for next season.

Oregon is bringing in four-star recruit Tajh Ariza from the class of 2026, and five-star tight end Kendre Harrison has intentions of playing both football and basketball with the Ducks.

With a smaller recruiting class, Altman and the Ducks are expected to be active in the transfer portal to replace the losses of Evans and Bittle.