Oregon Ducks' Dana Altman Lands Giant Recruit Over Kansas Jayhawks

The Oregon Ducks made headlines once again with another big recruiting commitment, this time with the announcement benefiting the men’s basketball program.

Nigerian center Ege Demir committed to play for coach Dana Altman’s program on July 21, according to Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress.com. The big is 6’11” with a 7’3” wingspan and 9’3” reach.

Demir prepared to play NCAA basketball back in 2022 for the UCLA Bruins but was prevented from being admitted to the university due to not scoring high enough on the Test of English as a Foreign Language.

Oregon Ducks head coach Dana Altman reacts to a missed three point basketball Friday, March 14, 2025, during the third round of the men's Big Ten tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 20-year-old center went on to play the last three years in the Turkish Basketball Super League. Last season, Demir averaged five points, 4.9 rebounds, one block and 15.3 minutes in 29 games for Darussafaka Lassa Istanbul.

He spent the previous two seasons with Tofas, where he posted similar numbers, but the center has made gradual improvements in his stats year-by-year. Demir is an efficient post player at 60.7 percent shooting across three seasons overseas, with all of his shots coming from inside the arc.

Multiple programs were in the mix to land Demir, including the Kansas Jayhawks, before he ultimately chose to head to the West Coast and join Altman’s squad.

Nearly three years after his initial NCAA commitment, Demir is finally making his way stateside and bringing his talent to college basketball.

Forms an intriguing inside/outside twin towers platoon alongside All-Big Ten stretch big man, Nate Bittle.

Huge late get for the Ducks. https://t.co/fJ2lCMyLGi pic.twitter.com/EZo45mXk4O
— Jon Chepkevich (@JonChep) July 21, 2025

The 250-pound big man stands at 6-10 with a 9-3 reach and a 7-3 wingspan. Demir adds a massive physical presence to the floor for the Ducks, who return center Nate Bittle.

Bittle withdrew from the 2025 NBA Draft to return for his final year of eligibility. Last season, the Oregon native averaged 14.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 2.1 blocks on 51.1 percent from the floor and 33.6 percent from beyond the arc.

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While Bittle plays as a stretch five, Demir is more of a true center who can back him up. Altman’s also proven to play multiple centers at the same time. Bittle started alongside former Oregon center N’Faly Dante for much of the 2022-23 season.

Set to join Bittle and Demir in the Ducks’ frontcourt is Howard transfer Miles Stewart, former Ohio State Buckeye Sean Stewart, Texas Longhorns transfer Devon Pryor, Ukrainian forward Oleksandr Kobzystyi, former junior college standout Dezdrick Lindsay, sophomore Luke Johnson and former five-star Kwame Evans Jr.

Demir adds size and rebounding to Oregon’s frontcourt. He’s athletic for his size, with many of his shots coming in the form of dunks. Demir should bolster the team’s defense, as well. Shot blocking is one of the big man’s key attributes. Through three seasons overseas, Demir averaged 2.5 blocks per 36 minutes.

Mar 23, 2025; Seattle, WA, USA; Oregon Ducks center Nate Bittle (32) shoots against Arizona Wildcats forward Henri Veesaar (13) in the second half at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

Coming in with multiple years of eligibility, Demir should start his collegiate career perhaps more refined compared to some of the 18-year-old bigs fresh out of high school who he’ll match up against. The center already has the experience of playing professional basketball in a league that often rosters former NBA players.

In addition to Bittle and forward Evans Jr. being among the key returners this season, junior point guard Jackson Shelstad is set to lead the way for the program following a Third Team All-Big-Ten selection.

The Ducks will enter their second season in the Big Ten, after they finished with a 25-10 overall record and a second-round NCAA Tournament exit last season.