Oregon Ducks Men's Basketball: Starting Lineup Prediction

Oregon basketball's roster for the 2024-25 season was finalized June 14 with the addition of Supreme Cook. How will Oregon's new roster fit together and who will start for the Ducks in their debut season in the Big Ten Conference?

Mar 16, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Oregon Ducks players celebrate after defeating the Colorado Buffaloes 75-68 to win the Pac-12 Tournament championship at T-Mobile Arena. / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

EUGENE—The Oregon Ducks men's basketball program recently solidified its roster for the upcoming season with the addition of Supreme Cook, filling Oregon's 13th and final scholarship spot. Oregon's completed roster is filled with talent, meaning there will be plenty of competition for a starting spot on coach Dana Altman's roster.  

Here is a prediction for Oregon's starting lineup for the start of the 2024-25 season.  

Point Guard: Jackson Shelstad   

Mar 21, 2024; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Oregon Ducks guard Jackson Shelstad (3) brings the ball up court during the second half of the game against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at PPG Paints Arena. / Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Jackson Shelstad is a top contender for the starting point guard spot. Although Oregon's roster has more experienced guards, Shelstad proved that he can handle the pressure of top competition.  

As a true freshman last season, Shelstad averaged 12.8 points per game while shooting 45% from the field.  

It is also likely that Keeshawn Barthelemy will double as a point guard during the season, although he is primarily a shooting guard.  

Shooting guard: TJ Bamba/Keeshawn Barthelemy  

Mar 14, 2024; New York City, NY, USA; Villanova Wildcats guard TJ Bamba (0) reacts during overtime against the Marquette Golden Eagles at Madison Square Garden. / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Former Villanova guard TJ Bamba is poised to be a starter for the Ducks in their first season in the Big Ten Conference. The 6-5 guard started all 33 games for the Wildcats. Bamba averaged 10.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists last season.  

Barthelemy is also a contender for the starting shooting guard spot. However, it is likely he will be Oregon's first man off the bench, as his versatility allows him to play both guard positions. As the Ducks' sixth man, Barthelemy would be able to provide aid for both Shelstad and Bamba, depending on the circumstances of the game.  

Last season, Barthelemy averaged 7.9 points per game before going down with a season-ending ankle injury that devastated the team. Barthelemy has recovered well and is ready to make an impact for the Ducks in the coming season.  

Small forward: Jadrian Tracey   

Mar 21, 2024; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Oregon Ducks guard Jadrian Tracey (22) shoots the ball against South Carolina Gamecocks guard Meechie Johnson (5) during the second half in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at PPG Paints Arena. / Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Jadrian Tracey, better known as Bam, is predicted to play a larger role for Oregon in the 2024-25 season. The former JUCO star played in all 36 games for the Ducks last season, starting the last 18 in a row. Tracey averaged 7.6 points per game, shooting 41.5 percent.  

Over the season, Tracey had 15 games scoring in double digits and 12 with five or more rebounds. Defensively, Tracey proved he can create turnovers for opponents having one or more steals in 21 games.  

Power Forward: Brandon Angel/Kwame Evans Jr  

Mar 14, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Stanford Cardinal forward Brandon Angel (23) dribbles against the Washington State Cougars during the second half at T-Mobile Arena. / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Brandon Angel, a transfer out of Stanford, will be joining the Ducks for his last season of college basketball. Although Moss is new to the program, he is familiar with Oregon's offense as he has had to defend it throughout his college career in the Pac-12 Conference. The 6-8, 240-pound forward was a Top 10 shooter in the Pac-12 last season. Angel led the conference in three-point shooting 44.7 percent from behind the arc. He was also seventh in the conference in field goal percentage (56.7) and eighth in free throw shooting (81.6)  

Angel's size, offensive prowess, and versatility make him a top contender for the starting Power Forward position. However, there will be close competition for the starting role between Angel and Kwame Evans Jr.   

Evans took on a starting role for the Ducks when Bittle went down with injuries and sickness during the 2024-25 season. Evans, who was predicted to be a second-round NBA Draft pick, opted to return to Oregon for his sophomore season instead of entering his name in the draft. Last season as a freshman, Evans averaged 7.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. The difference for Evans in terms of starting in the 2024-25 season relies heavily on how he develops in terms of his three-point shooting and physicality during the off-season.  

Center: Nate Bittle  

Nov 6, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Oregon Ducks center Nate Bittle (32) dribbles against Georgia Bulldogs guard Jabri Abdur-Rahim (1) during the first half at T-Mobile Arena. / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Although Oregon does not have a true "big man" on its 2024-25 roster, Nate Bittle is expected to fill its center position. Last season, N'Faly Dante had the starting center position locked down, with Bittle playing alongside him as a power forward. However, Bittle's role will likely shift in the upcoming season as Oregon needs a reliable athlete who will be physical both in and out of the paint to start as the center.  

Bittle started last season for the Ducks, but he only saw action in five games, missing 31 due to injury and sickness. During Bittle's five games, he averaged 10 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1 block per game.  

The Oregon native established himself as a starter during the 2022-23 season, starting in 22 out of his 28 games played. As a sophomore, Oregon's seven-footer averaged 7.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game.  

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