Oregon Ducks Star Center Nate Bittle Forgoes NBA, Returns For Fifth Season

The Oregon Ducks and coach Dana Altman received good news today about center Nate Bittle. It was announced by college basketball insider Jon Rothstein that Nate Bittle would be withdrawing his name from the 2025 NBA Draft and return to school next season.

At the conclusion of this past season, Nate Bittle announced via his Instagram that he would be testing NBA waters and declared for the 2025 NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility. Bittle also added in the message that if he were to come back to college, it would be at Oregon.

Nate Bittle Coming Back For Fifth Season With Oregon

Mar 23, 2025; Seattle, WA, USA; Oregon Ducks center Nate Bittle (32) dribbles the ball against Arizona Wildcats forward Tobe Awaka (30) in the first half at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Nate Bittle returning is massive news for the Oregon. Bittle is coming off of his best season, leading the Ducks in points with 14.2 per game, rebounds with 7.6 per game, and blocks with 2.1 per game. This interior presence would have been dearly missed for the 2025-2026 Ducks.

Source: Oregon's Nate Bittle plans to withdraw from the 2025 NBA Draft and return to school next season.

Averaged 14.2 PPG and 7.6 RPG last year.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 28, 2025

Oregon will now be bringing back arguably their two best players in the front court from a season ago in Bittle and forward Kwame Evans.

Contrary to when the Ducks were heading into the 2024-2025 season, they will be returning their two leading scorers. N’Faly Dante and Jermaine Couisnard led the Ducks in scoring in 2023-2024 and were not on the team in 2024-2025.

The Ducks now not only are returning next season with leading scorer Nate Bittle, but also second-leading scorer, guard Jackson Shelstad (13.7 points per game).

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Oregon's 2024-2025 Season

Mar 21, 2025; Seattle, WA, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dana Altman reacts with guard Jackson Shelstad (3) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

The Oregon Ducks finished up their first season as a member of the Big Ten conference. Oregon finished No. 8 in the conference with a 12-8 record in Big Ten play and 25-10 overall.

Oregon had some huge wins against the Alabama Crimson Tide, Texas A&M Aggies, and Wisconsin Badgers. The Ducks ended up earning a No. 5 seed in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. They took down the Liberty Flames in round one, but their season came to an end in round two against the No. 4 seeded Arizona Wildcats.

There was a lot of unknown for the Oregon Ducks heading into the season, with it being their first in the Big Ten. The Ducks were previously in the Pac-12, where they didn't have the grueling travel schedule and didn't play in the hostile environments that the Big Ten has.

Oregon fared fairly well and was one of eight Big Ten teams to make the NCAA Tournament. Dana Altman will look to build off of this experience in the Big Ten heading into year two. Altman will be in his 16th season as Oregon coach when the season gets underway this November. Altman has made the NCAA tournament with the Ducks eight different times, including five trips to the Sweet 16 and a Final Four appearance in 2017.