The Oregon Ducks men's basketball program is facing a significant roster overhaul this offseason, with the transfer portal creating a major exodus. The latest departure is junior center Ege Demir, who entered the portal on Wednesday, becoming the seventh Duck to do so since it opened on April 5th.
Demir's decision adds his name to a growing list that includes Jackson Shelstad, Kwame Evans Jr., Wei Lin, Dezdrick Lindsay, Devon Pryer, and JJ Frakes. This mass exit leaves head coach Dana Altman with a monumental rebuilding task, especially coming off a challenging 12-20 season.
The Turkish big man joined Oregon with professional experience from the Turkey Basketball Super League but saw limited action in his lone season. Battling a shoulder injury that restricted him to 19 games, Demir averaged 2.2 points and 3.5 rebounds, playing a reserve role behind standout center Nate Bittle.
Interestingly, Demir's departure comes even with Bittle exhausting his eligibility, signaling a desire for a fresh start. His exit leaves just three scholarship players on the roster: Sean Stewart, Efe Vatan, and Jamari Phillips, putting immense pressure on the coaching staff to recruit heavily from the portal.
For Ducks fans, this period of transition underscores the volatile nature of modern college basketball. As the team looks to rebuild and compete in the tough Big Ten conference, all eyes will be on how Coach Altman navigates this critical recruiting period to reshape his squad for the future.
