The Oregon Ducks are going to look very different on the hardwood next season. Following a big group of graduations and departures through the transfer portal, Dana Altman is picking up the pieces and reloading the roster in Eugene.
Altman has scoured the portal for talent of every kind. Size in the frontcourt, shooters on the wing, and a ball-handler in the backcourt. So far, he’s landed some intriguing talents, but his best acquisition might be Jasper Johnson, a guard who transferred from Kentucky.
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ESPN’s Jeff Borzello ranked the top 100 transfers this offseason, and Johnson just cracked the list at No. 99, heading to Eugene. Former Ducks Jackson Shelstad (transferring to Louisville) and Kwame Evans Jr. (transferring to Villanova) both made the list in front of Johnson, but Altman has to be excited about his SEC transfer in the backcourt.
Standing at 6-foot-5, Johnson has the size to drive to the bucket and the ability to step out and knock down shots around the floor. A former top 25 recruit, Johnson’s potential remains untapped. There’s reason to believe he could flourish with the Ducks in the fall.
“A former five-star recruit, Johnson didn’t quite live up to expectations during his first season in Lexington,” Borzello wrote. “He averaged 4.9 points and 1.6 assists in a bench role, shooting 34% from 3-point range and playing 12.0 minutes per game. Kentucky originally beat out Alabama and North Carolina for Johnson’s commitment out of high school.”
The Ducks won’t place the same limitations on Johnson that he faced at Kentucky. Johnson was forced into a backup point guard role but couldn’t score or distribute, given how the floor was shrinking with the talent around him. At Oregon, Johnson should have more opportunities to run the floor, either as a point guard or as a shooter ln the wing, and make plays on his own.
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“Dana Altman isn’t giving up on Johnson’s offensive ability after one season at Kentucky,” Borzello wrote. “The former top-20 recruit showed high-ceiling offensive ability as a high school player and will be given freedom at that end of the floor on an Oregon team that needs playmakers.”
The southpaw shooter dropped 22 points against NCCU in December and showcases some impressive catch-and-shoot ability from 3-point range down the stretch of the season. Johnson is able to create his own shot when he needs to and shoot across the floor. Although Altman hasn’t found his ball-handler at point guard yet, he has managed to surround himself with talented scorers and some valuable size.
Altman has been busy in the portal. In addition to Johnson, the Ducks have earned commitments from San Francisco guard Tyrone Riley IV and Boise State forward Andrew Meadow as potential scoring options. Down low, the Ducks have added San Diego State forward Pharaoh Compton and Alabama forward Taylor Bol Bowen.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon G Jasper Johnson ranked as top transfer, good fit with Ducks
