First major Oregon transfer target just arrived for Dana Altman to go after

Well, Oregon fans are really close to being able to put the Ducks' 2025-26 men's basketball season behind them.

With an 11-18 overall record and an abysmal 4-14 record against Big Ten opponents, things haven't been this bad for the Oregon Ducks since head coach Dana Altman took over nearly two decades ago.

While things haven't gone... smoothly this season, one thing that Duck fans can always rely on is Altman's dominance on the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal. With two games left in the season, an elite target has already emerged for Altman to go after.

Western Colorado's Aidan McDowell would be perfect at Oregon

This week, Western Colorado guard Aidan McDowell announced he planned to enter the transfer portal once it opened in April. Now, you might be thinking, "Why in the world would Oregon want someone from Western Colorado?" and that would be a fair question, but listen to this:

McDowell averaged 26.8 points per game, alongside nearly five rebounds per appearance, and led the entirety of DII men's basketball in scoring this season.

Beyond his scoring prowess, which is something the Ducks desperately need after averaging just 71.3 points per game, there are a few other qualities that make McDowell an ideal fit for Oregon.

As a sophomore, he would align perfectly with Altman's style of recruiting, preferring to bring in droves of experienced players from the portal instead of landing a slew of untested five-star prospects out of high school.

Don't worry, Altman's still pretty dang good at recruiting high schoolers, too.

Additionally, after missing most of this season, Oregon point guard Jackson Shelstad is set to return next year and could pair perfectly with McDowell in the backcourt. Not to mention the fact that McDowell has three inches on Shelstad and could add some much-needed size to Oregon's lineup.

Kwame Evans Jr., who has another year of eligibility, could rotate back to more of a true-forward position on the court, alongside sophomore Luke Johnson.

While Altman will likely have to find another center to fill the shoes of Nate Bittle next year, alongside Ege Demir, McDowell has emerged as the perfect target for the Ducks to go after as this season ends and the transfer portal rapidly approaches.

This year, the college basketball transfer portal is set to open on April 7 and remain open for two weeks, until April 21. While that window pertains only to players choosing to officially enter their names in the portal or not, coaches like Altman cannot reach out to players until it officially opens.