What Taya Hanson's Commitment Means for Oregon Ducks

The Ducks made their first splash in the transfer portal with the addition of the Arizona State graduate transfer.

With the conclusion of the 2021-22 season, the daunting dimension known as the transfer portal flips college basketball on its head. The Oregon Ducks were an early victim to the wrath of the portal, losing four players in the span of a week.

Like clockwork, Kelly Graves and his staff are once again tasked with rebuilding their roster through the transfer portal, and they began to do so on Tuesday. Arizona State graduate transfer Taya Hanson announced her commitment to Oregon after four years with the Sun Devils.

© Rob Schumacher/The Republic

Taya Hanson shoots a jumper over Oregon's Satou Sabally.

As it stands right now, the Ducks have seven returning players and four incoming freshmen. The addition of a wing player was surely toward the top of Graves' to-do list after losing Sydney Parrish, one of the best three-point shooters for the Ducks.

Three-point shooting has been a nagging inconsistency for Oregon in the post-Sabrina Ionescu era. In 2019-20, the Ducks shot 39.5% from downtown, but that mark has dramatically dipped in each of the two seasons since.

Hanson is a player that will help the three-point shooting woes, but certainly one player won't solve such an issue alone. Expect Graves to snag some more snipers through the transfer portal, but Hanson is a great start. Here's how she can help the Ducks next season.

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Taya Hanson shoots over a defender.

One thing that makes a great shooter is their ability to get open. Hanson does an excellent job of moving without the basketball and helping the ball handlers get her the ball with an easy pass. Endyia Rogers and Te-Hina Paopao will draw a lot of attention from defenders, especially in transition. 

Hanson's willingness to run the floor on the fast break and find the open spot on the floor is a trait that they and Graves will love.

He beams when his guards drive to the basket and kick it out to the open shooter, but the Ducks weren't automatic with open shots created by the dribble drive this year. Hanson shoots her best when she is a catch-and-shoot option, but she can create her own shot on occasion.

Hanson has a quick trigger and is looking to shoot if she is given an inch of space. She doesn't lack confidence, but where she can sometimes falter is when she rushes a shot or takes one too early in the shot clock. When she lets the game come to her and she creates high-percentage shots both with and without the basketball, she can be a game-changer for an offense.

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Taya Hanson defends Washington State's Charlisse Leger-Walker.

What fans might notice when they take a look at Hanson's stats is her low field goal percentages. Her career high for field goal percentage in a season is just 33.1%, and her best three-point shooting clip is 34.4%. Hanson has always been purely a jump shooter and will rarely drive into the paint or post up down low.

In fact, 475 of her 789 career field goal attempts (60.2%) are from behind the three-point line. She is a streaky shooter, but she can really heat up if she's looking for her shot early, like when she nailed seven of 10 three-pointers in a win over Cal in the 2020 season. She also had a stretch in that season when she made five triples in three straight games.

Hanson is an active defender that will swipe the ball from her assignment, racking up nearly 100 steals in her career. She's an excellent off-ball defender and will hound players who are looking for the basketball, denying them the chance. 

She isn't afraid to defend in the half-court, and if you see a scrum for a loose ball or a long rebound, chances are she'll be in the middle of it.

Hanson can be an immediate impact player for the Ducks and may find her way into the starting lineup at the three with her experience and defensive skillset. She could be an x-factor for the Ducks next season if she can be a reliable three-point threat.

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