McLaughlin: Jackson Shelstad’s Return the First of Many Puzzle Pieces for Oregon Basketball
By SPENCER McLAUGHLIN
Contributor, 750 The Game
Jackson Shelstad has given Oregon fans a piece of great news. The former 5-star PG out of West Linn will return to the Ducks for his junior season in Eugene.
He’s just about the only surefire piece for Dana Altman right now. More portal moves are on the way, it’s just a matter of when–not if–the Ducks fill out their roster who played last season somewhere else. There aren’t any other options with limited high school recruiting for the Ducks over the last two cycles. Shelstad’s return should help with that.
Who wouldn’t want to play with a 3rd-Team All-Big 10 selection who leads a program that’s coming off consecutive finishes in the Round of 32? Normally that sort of thinking applies to a pass-first guard who’s going to get guys the ball, but that’s one area I think Shelstad can improve the most. He averaged 13.7 points per game this past season, but for a guy with his speed and skill I believe 2.7 assists per game is a number he can approve upon.
I’m not sure if Shelstad was seriously considering the NBA Draft or transfer portal. He’s an in-state recruit who was first contacted by Dana Altman when he was in the 8th grade. Still, the report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel that he would sign his deal and return to the Ducks was a welcome sight for Oregon. In today’s world of college sports, crazier departures have come about.
As Dana Altman looks at transfer portal targets, it’s good to be able to share at least one aspect of his team he knows will be there. Bam Tracey hit the portal after saying he was going to return. Nate Bittle? KJ Evans? All quiet on that front right now. I would guess Evans comes back, but Bittle has serious NBA prospects and a big decision ahead of him.
The other scholarship players currently on Oregon’s roster are all wildly unproven. Returning SG Jamari Phillips scored 19 total points as a true freshman with a season high of 7 against Montana. Texas SF transfer Devon Pryor has scored double digit points just once in his career. Shelstad’s scoring and veteran presence is going to be much needed no matter who makes up the rest of the Ducks’ lineup next year.
If Bittle opts for the NBA Draft, the scoring load will fall on his shoulders even more heavily. I would really like to see both Evans and Bittle return to make up Oregon’s starting frontcourt. Their three level potential at both ends of the floor combined with their experience would make them a formidable tandem. I especially like how those two play together defensively.
Speaking of that end of the floor, I anticipate Dana Altman and his staff pondering that part of the team a lot with their pending portal moves. Evans and Bittle are both elite. Shelstad causes havoc but his size makes it tough for him to be a high end defender. When I watched the all 1 seed Final Four with Auburn, Florida, Duke, and Houston, I thought Oregon’s offense from this year was comparable. Not on the same level, but good enough to run with those teams. The bigger gap in my view was at the other end.
Oregon allowed 70.8 points per game this year, which is a solid mark. The year they went to the Final Four in 2017? 65.8 points per game allowed.
The athleticism and physicality of Houston and Florida on defense are big reasons why they’re in the title game on Monday night. I think Dana Altman wants to be like Houston more than he wants to be like Arizona.
Moves are on the way in the coming weeks, I imagine the Ducks add 4-5 players to the roster between now and next season. The good news, for now, is that Jackson Shelstad’s limitless range and clutch gene will be back in an Oregon uniform.
Spencer McLaughlin is an Oregon Ducks football contributor to 750 The Game. He also hosts the “Locked On Oregon Ducks” and “Locked On College Football” podcasts and has work featured throughout the season here.