College Basketball
Oregon Basketball: Transfer Portal Class Reflects Lack of NIL for Coach Dana Altman
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Oregon’s transfer class is thin again. Just three players have ed the Ducks from the portal this offseason, and the group ranks 12th among Big Ten teams according to the latest transfer class rankings. That’s a problem. And it’s becoming a trend.
Dana Altman’s Portal Results Are Subpar
Since the transfer portal became a cornerstone of roster building, Dana Altman has leaned less on it than many of his peers. Oregon ranked just 91st in the country in 2023 and only 37th in 2022. This year’s portal class sits at 12th in the Big Ten, and 50th nationally.
In 2025, that’s not good enough, and it seems to be becoming an unwelcome trend for the Ducks.
Top programs are reloading each offseason with high-end transfers. Oregon is not. Altman has brought in:
- TK Simpkins (Liberty Heights) – 6’3″ scoring guard. Athletic, shot creator, good feel. Could push for rotation minutes early if he defends.
- Miles Goodman (Southern California Academy) – 6’10” forward with mobility and upside. More of a long-term piece. Needs strength and polish.
- Devon Pryor (Texas) – 6’7″ wing with bounce. Didn’t play much at Texas but has tools. Raw offensively. Development project.
That’s it. No marquee name. No clear-cut starter. No game-changer.
Does Oregon Basketball Have a NIL Problem?
Altman’s issues in the portal trace back to one thing: Oregon’s NIL budget.
Despite being a brand-name program with Nike money in the background, Oregon basketball reportedly operated with a budget of just $3 million in 2024–25. That’s well below the Big Ten’s top teams. Programs like Michigan and Maryland spent closer to $8 million.
While the Ducks won $1.5 million in NIL payouts at the Players Era Festival, that was a one-off bonus. It didn’t change the perception among top-tier transfers that Oregon is lagging when it comes to NIL.
Where’s The Urgency for The Ducks?
This is Altman’s 15th year. He’s taken Oregon to a Final Four, multiple Elite Eights, and made the Ducks one of the best programs on the West Coast. But recruiting has cooled. Transfer additions are shallow. And the NIL game isn’t keeping up.
With the program now in the Big Ten, expectations are higher. A 12th-place portal class shouldn’t be acceptable for a school with Oregon’s resources and profile.
Conclusion
Oregon has three transfers. The class ranks 12th in the Big Ten. NIL spending is low. Altman isn’t landing top portal targets. At a time when every major program is using the portal to patch holes, Oregon’s efforts feel ive at best.
