Oregon Ducks' Dana Altman Recruiting Paul Mbiya After NC State Wolfpack Decommitment

After a stint in the EuroLeague, Paul Mbiya has reopened his college basketball recruitment while keeping professional opportunities open. The 6-11, 260-pound center is originally from the Congo.

Feb 28, 2019; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dana Altman huddles with players during a timeout in the first half against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Matthew Knight Arena. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Paul Mbiya is a 6-11, 260-pound center who boasts a 7-7 wingspan and is back on the Oregon Ducks and coach Dana Altman's radar. He recently decommitted from newly appointed coach Will Wade and the NC State Wolfpack.

Mbiya was in Eugene on his official visit at the start of April. According to On3's Joe Tipton, the Ducks, along with coach Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks, are the two frontrunners for the big man. He's also considering professional opportunities overseas.

Mar 20, 2025; Providence, RI, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self reacts during the first half against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Amica Mutual Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The 20-year-old is originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Central Africa and played with the NBA Academy Africa. He also competed with the French pro team LDLC ASVEL of the EuroLeague, a top-tier French Pro A League, where he averaged 15.5 points, 11.6 rebounds, 3.1 blocks, and 1.1 steals.

The club is owned by four-time NBA Champion and six-time All-Star Tony Parker. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame back in 2023.

Mbiya's still very raw as he's only been playing basketball for about three years. His rather massive size allows him to be a dominant rebounder, an eager rim protector, and a lob threat when rolling to the rim.

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Jan 23, 2022; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks forward Quincy Guerrier (13) and center Nate Bittle (32) scramble for a rebound during the second half against Washington Huskies center Riley Sorn (52) at Matthew Knight Arena. The Ducks won the game 84-56. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

With Oregon star Nate Bittle heading into his final season of college eligibility, Altman has made it his priority this summer to find the next man to be his starting center. Altman has recently offered 7-0 Ethan Taylor from Link Academy and 7-1 Arafan Diane from Iowa United Prep out of the 2026 recruiting class.

On3's Collin King spoke with Mbiya after his visit with Oregon and spoke about what the program can specifically offer him at the collegiate level.

“They offered me a starting position, but that doesn’t matter to me. I just want to play, have fun, and help my team win, that’s all... What interests me about Oregon, I find, is that it is a very good program that develops big men well, on the court and also as a person. “

- Paul Mbiya via On3's Collin King

In this era of college basketball, many schools are looking to revamp their future rosters more through the transfer portal rather than recruiting out of high school. International recruiting is always a challenge, but given the success that Altman has had over the years in that department, the Ducks should be high on Mbiya's list.

Here are just a few of some of the international basketball success stories to come through Oregon:

Apr 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Houston Rockets center N'Faly Dante (3) moves the ball against Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt (2) and guard Austin Reaves (15) during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images / Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

N'Faly Dante is from Bali and currently a two-way player with the Houston Rockets and Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the G-League.

Chris Duarte is from the Dominican Republic and was the 13th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Dillon Brooks and Chris Boucher are both from Canada. Brooks currently plays with the Houston Rockets, and Boucher is with the Toronto Raptors.

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