Oregon Ducks Basketball Falling Behind Without General Manager

The Oregon Ducks had hoped to turn the page on coach Dana Altman’s first losing season in Eugene. As Ducks fans started to shift their attention to 2026-27, they received the unfortunate news that their top-two returning scorers hit the transfer portal.

A year ago, Altman expressed that he didn’t think the program needed a general manager to assist with managing name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities and transfer portal movement. With point guard Jackson Shelstad and forward Kwame Evans Jr. entering the portal, the Ducks could reassess their stance on bringing in a general manager.

Oregon Ducks Struggling to Recruit And Keep Top Players

oregon ducks basketball dana altman recruiting transfer portal nil jackson shelstad kwame evans nate bittle tahj ariza — Oregon head coach Dana Altman looks on after a call as the Oregon Ducks host the UCLA Bruins on Jan. 28, 2026, at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Losing Evans to the transfer portal was already bad news for the Ducks. Evans was a five-star coming out of high school and was a valuable player in the team’s frontcourt through his three years. He averaged 13.3 points per game, 7.4 rebounds, two assists, a steal and 1.3 blocks last season.

Altman lost starting center Nate Bittle in the offseason, who ran out of eligibility. Evans’ possible return became even more important for Oregon, but now it loses two starting big men.

Shelstad’s transfer news piled onto the Ducks’ unfortunate start to the offseason. Shelstad would’ve been the top returning scorer, averaging 15.6 points per game in 12 games last season. Not only does Altman lose two starters and former elite recruits, but Shelstad grew up in Oregon. He played for West Linn High School, the same school as former Ducks star Payton Pritchard.

Losing Shelstad was especially alarming considering his upbringing – because if Oregon can’t keep a three-year starter who grew up a Ducks fan, how can it expect to recruit future stars from across the country?

How Other Programs Are Operating in the Transfer Portal And NIL Era

Collegiate programs hiring general managers is becoming more common in basketball and football. Notable instances of programs with general managers include the Stanford Cardinal hiring former NFL No. 1 pick Andrew Luck to assist with their football program or the Saint Bonaventure Bonnies hiring former ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski to help with basketball.

With rules surrounding NIL and the transfer portal evolving, program personnel are changing, too. Of the current Sweet 16 programs in the men’s NCAA Tournament, three teams have five starters who started their college careers with five different programs. Only Michigan State has five starters who began their careers with the same program. Ten of the 16 teams have multiple transfers.

Altman cited his big coaching staff as the reason he didn’t feel the need to hire a general manager. When looking at top programs like the Michigan Wolverines — who have utilized the transfer portal with the help of general manager Kyle Church to build their No. 1-seeded roster – it’s hard to wonder if hiring a general manager would alleviate some of the pressure on the coaching staff.

The Ducks’ Current Roster Outlook

There could be a domino effect for Oregon’s current roster. Right now, the Ducks are set to keep guard Wei Lin, who averaged 6.6 points per game last season – the most of any of the current returners.

Altman is also expected to welcome four-star power forward Kendre Harrison, who doubles as a tight end recruit for Oregon football. Four-star forward Tajh Ariza is additionally committed to play for the Ducks. Keeping the two current commitments would be a start for Oregon, as it looks to build the program back up.

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