Oregon Center Nate Bittle's NBA Draft Stock Update

A combination of 44 college basketball and international players were invited to the 2026 G League Combine. One of those names listed is Oregon Ducks center Nate Bittle as he embarks on the first step of his professional basketball journey.

The G League Combine takes place May 8 through 10 at the Wintrust Arena and the Marriott Marquis in Chicago, Illinois. It can be streamed on the NBA G League official site, with NBA and G League scouts, coaches, and front office executives from across all 30 franchises in attendance.

Oregon center Nate Bittle celebrates a shot as the Oregon Ducks host the Washington Huskies on March 7, 2026, at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With a strong performance over the course of those three days, Bittle will have an opportunity to be invited to the 2026 NBA Combine. Last year, five players were called up: Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Ryan Nembhard, Penn State Nittany Lions center Yanic Konan Niederhauser, Missouri Tigers guard Tamar Bates, then Indiana Hoosiers forward Mackenzie Mgbako, and Australian center Lachlan Olbrich.

Bittle has some work to do this month, proving his worth to evaluators as a stretch seven-footer and rim protector.

Feb 25, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks center Nate Bittle (32) warms up on the court before the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Matthew Knight Arena. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Injury-Riddled Upperclassmen Seasons for Nate Bittle

The first remark that G League and NBA scouts will have about the 7-0, 220-pound 22-year-old is his durability at the five spot against the toughest, meanest big men the league has to offer through an 82-game schedule across six to eight months.

Bittle dealt with numerous setbacks during the 2023-24 and 2025-26 seasons, spanning from a broken wrist, a severe gastrointestinal illness, and a recurring left ankle/foot issue.

When on the floor and healthy in the 2024-25 campaign, Bittle was one of the more effective stretch giants that the college basketball game had to offer. In a full season with Oregon's first year associated with the Big Ten Conference, the Central Point, Oregon, native collected 14.2 points on a shooting split of 51.1 percent from the field, 33.6 percent out beyond the arc, and 81.1 percent at the charity stripe across 35 starts.

Mar 7, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks center Nate Bittle (32) shoots the ball over Washington Huskies center Lathan Sommerville (24) during the first half at Matthew Knight Arena. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Bittle has well-adjusted to the ask of modern-day seven-footers over the last four years, extending his range out to the perimeter. Along with that, he makes himself indispensable as a willing rebounder and 'fly swatter' at the other end of the floor.

During the course of his last 60 starts in the past two seasons, Bittle has averaged 7.3 rebounds and nearly two blocks per game for Oregon. The gift has always been there for the 2021 McDonald's All-American from Crater High School; it comes down to sustainability at his larger-than-life size. The big heads in the NBA will immediately question if he can deal with the physicality, even the travel grind that the league forces on its athletes.

Oregon center Nate Bittle, left, blocks a shot by Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter as the Oregon Ducks host the Wisconsin Badgers on Feb. 25, 2026, at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

G League Combine to NBA Combine

The goal for Bittle is to receive an invite to the NBA Combine after showcasing his two-way versatility at the G League Combine. That skill set he possesses is so coveted from a potential big man at the next level.

The NBA Combine runs from May 10 through 17, also at the Wintrust Arena and the Marriott Marquis in Chicago, Illinois. It can be viewed on ESPN2 and ESPN+.

Even if Bittle doesn't obtain that call, time in the G League on a two-way contract for a franchise that takes a chance on him can be a beneficial move. A place to get the former Duck's body right in a low-key setting goes a long way.

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