The Oregon Basketball team underwent an offseason filled with changes after a disappointing season for the Ducks. After missing the NCAA Tournament, it was clear that Dana Altman needed to shakeup the roster, especially with the Big Ten only getting stronger on the basketball front. The Ducks hit the Transfer Portal hard, building a well balanced group that was built to make a push for the NCAA Tournament.
When the majority of the Transfer Portal chaos slowed, and the Ducks hadn't fully filled out their roster, it was certainly notable. With the potential of the 5-for-5 changes to eligibility, waiting to fill out the roster was wise, and it only looked smarter when the entire 2022 class was granted an additional season last week.
Oregon adds Arkansas forward Malique Ewin to round out roster
As soon as the 2022 recruiting class was granted another season of eligibility, the Ducks were tied to several players from Dug McDaniel to Duke Brennan. Instead, Oregon made a splash on Monday Morning as Dana Altman and the staff signed Arkansas transfer Malique Ewin.
BREAKING: Arkansas transfer forward Malique Ewin has signed with Oregon, @JamieShaw5 reports🦆https://t.co/nJkCxXvq8Z https://t.co/SOzNt8afei pic.twitter.com/FiuEz2mAjF
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) August 3, 2026
The big question will be over whether or not the NCAA fights back against the latest eligibility rulings. Given the way that the entire class was declared eligible, the NCAA will certainly look to combat the chaos, but they also may not have success in their fight.
The Ducks came into the offseason with a ton of holes to fill, and now Malique Ewin can help fill a major hole on the roster. Dana Altman and his staff overhauled the entire front court, returning just Sean Stewart while adding PF/C's Taylor Bol Bowen, Tajh Ariza, Pharoah Compton, and Kendre Harrison.
Bringing in a veteran big man will ease the pressure on Tajh Ariza to contribute early while doing the same for Kendre Harrison who will already be facing an uphill battle as he plays football, and could be on a deep run in the College Football Playoff.
Malique Ewin started his career at Ole Miss scoring 1.4 points per game as a freshman before dropping down to the JUCO level. In 2024-25, Ewin returned to the Power 4 with Florida State showing massive improvements as he averaged 14.2 PPG with 7.6 RPG. This season, Ewin was a solid player for Arkansas with his scoring numbers dropping, but he was a critical piece for the Razorbacks.
Dana Altman has had a ton of success with getting pieces to fit together, and Ewin is almost the perfect experiment for the Ducks. If Oregon can get Dana Altman back to his scoring prowess at Florida State, it would go a long way in helping the team return to the NCAA Tournament, especially as all these pieces need to mesh.
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