Losing Jalen Terry and Chris Duarte provides a massive hit to the backcourt. The Ducks are down an All-American shooting guard — the best in the country — and a former four-star point guard who was expected to have a bright future in Eugene but played sparingly as a freshman.
Now Dana Altman is forced to find replacements. He has Will Richardson coming back to run the point but he’s going to be a senior and needs someone to back him up.
Altman could search in the transfer portal for a point guard or any other depth pieces, but he is also trying to finish the 2021 recruiting class strong after losing Johnathan Lawson.
The Ducks just made the cut for one of the top uncommitted recruits in the 2021 class and the No. 3 point guard, according to the 247Sports composite. TyTy Washington, a native of Chandler, Ariz., named Oregon as one of his six finalists as he gets closer to a commitment.
Thank you to all coaches that recruited me‼️@TiptonEdits pic.twitter.com/4A1Zi0NX6O
— Tyty Washington (@tytywashington3) April 18, 2021
Baylor, Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky, and LSU join Oregon in his top six as it’s as loaded as any trimmed list. Beating out home-state Arizona won’t be easy despite them hiring a new coaching staff, Kansas and Kentucky are recruiting machines, LSU is a rising program, and Baylor is fresh off a national title.
If Oregon wins this recruiting battle, it’d be a heck of an accomplishment.
Oregon basketball in need of a point guard
Early playing time is probably a huge selling point for Washington at Oregon. Losing Terry and Duarte leaves a hole in the starting lineup and one right behind Richardson as well. If Washington wants to play big minutes early in his career, it would make sense for him to commit to Oregon.
Washington is a 6-3, 185-pound point guard who happens to be the No. 31 recruit in the 2021 class and third-best point guard, according to 247Sports. His recruitment seems to be fairly wide-open as there are no 247Sports Crystal Balls for him yet.
Oregon arguably needs him as much or more than the rest of his finalists and he could be a key component to a Pac-12 title favorite in 2021-22.