Oregon Ducks Lose No. 1 Transfer Portal Prospect

Oregon Ducks basketball star Jackson Shelstad is entering the transfer portal, according to Joe Tipton of On3, joining former Ducks forward Kwame Evans Jr. as key portal departures from the Ducks.

According to 247Sports' transfer rankings, Shelstad is the No. 1 player currently available in the portal. In the same rankings, Evans currently sits at No. 6 overall in the nation. More players are expected to enter their names into the portal before it opens, but Shelstad will likely remain one of the top transfer guards available even with his injury.

Oregon Ducks Basketball Losing Major Production

A native of West Linn, Oregon, Shelstad has had an exciting three-year career with the Ducks that has now come to a close. Where he lands in the portal remains to be seen, but a decision could be made shortly after the portal officialy opens on April 7.

oregon ducks transfer portal jackson shelstad kwame evans jr dana altman nate bittle rebuilding roster big ten ncaa tournamen — Dec 28, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks guard Jackson Shelstad (3) on the court for early warmups before the game against the Omaha Mavericks at Matthew Knight Arena. | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

With center Nate Bittle's eligibility expired, the Ducks were hopeful to potentially build around a core of Shelstad and Evans. Now, Oregon coach Dana Altman has to replace his three leading scorers after a rather disappointing 2025-26 season.

Shelstad missed a majority of the year with a right hand injury that ended his season prematurely, but he averaged 15.6 points and 4.9 assists per game as the leader of Oregon's offense. Meanwhile, Bittle led the charge for most of the season, averaging 16.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game over the year.

Evans contributed 13.3 points per game of his own, while averaging 7.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. Not only are the Ducks missing valuable offensive leadership and production, the defensive end of the floor will miss Bittle and Evans as rim protectors.

The transfer portal does not yet officially open until the NCAA Tournament ends and a national champion is crowned, but Shelstad is as good as gone. The early announcement potentially gives Altman and the Oregon coaching staff an opportunity to get a headstart on scouting other transfer prospects.

Oregon Ducks Basketball Outlook

How will the Ducks go about rebuilding the roster without Bittle, Shelstad, and Evans heading into the 2026-27 season? Additionally, Oregon will also have to replace senior guard Takai Simpkins, a key contributor during the year.

Other players could still leave to the portal, but the Ducks would ideally hold onto junior forward Sean Stewart and sophomore guard Wei Lin. Junior center Ege Demir went down with a shoulder injury in February that forced him to miss the rest of the season, and his return, alongside Lin and Stewart, would give Altman and his coaching staff something to build around.

In the 2026 recruiting class, the Ducks hold signatures from four-star small forward Tajh Ariza and four-star center recruit Kendre Harrison, a five-star tight end on the football field.

Without a postseason tournament invitation to accept, the Ducks' focus is on the transfer portal and next season.

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