A year after bringing in one of the better recruiting classes in recent memory, Dana Altman has pulled together another impressive class of recruits heading into the 2016 season.
Headlining Oregon’s incoming class are the No. 1 player in the state of Oregon, Payton Pritchard, and junior college national player of the year Kavell Bigby-Williams. Also coming in next year are three-star wing Keith Smith and 6-foot-10 center M.J. Cage.
According to 247sports, Oregon has the 14th best class in the nation, up from 18th last year. The Ducks rank third in the Pac-12, behind UCLA and Arizona, both of which rank in the top five of the nation.
Oregon went to its first elite eight since 2007 last season. Its core players, Dillon Brooks, Chris Boucher, Tyler Dorsey, Jordan Bell and Casey Benson, are all likely to return next season.
Here’s a rundown of Oregon’s signees so far:
Payton Pritchard: 4*/ 6-foot, 180 lbs./ West Linn High School
Pritchard averaged 24 points and seven assists his senior year while leading West Linn to its fourth state title since his freshman year. The three-time Oregon player of the year (soon to be four), originally committed to Oklahoma in 2014, but flipped to Oregon last year. The 6-foot guard was the 54th-ranked player in the ESPN 100. With Oregon returning most of its backcourt next year, Pritchard will be battling for minutes with Casey Benson, Tyler Dorsey and Kendall Small.
Kavell Bigby-Williams: 4*/ 6-foot-10, 225 lbs./ Gillete College, Wyo.
For the second year in a row, Altman has landed the junior college player of the year. Williams, an England-native, averaged 16.8 points, 13.6 rebounds and 5.6 blocks per game. He recorded 28 double-doubles in 36 games last season year. The four-star forward also led the nation in blocks last year, recording 211. He will join an already formidable Oregon front court with Jordan Bell and Chris Boucher.
Keith Smith: 3*/ 6-foot-7, 190 lbs. / Rainier Beach High School
Smith is a versatile wing out of high school powerhouse Rainier Beach. Originally committed to San Diego State, Smith decided to re-open his recruitment because he did not like the Aztecs’ style of play. He was the top-ranked junior in Washington a year ago, but a number of knee injuries dropped his stock. He’s deadly from midrange and can play positions one through three, but, according to ESPN scouting reports, needs to work on his athleticism and three-point shooting.
M.J. Cage: 3*/ 6-foot-9, 225 lbs./ Mater Dei High School
M.J. Cage is the son of former San Diego State great Michael Cage, so his commitment to Oregon came as a bit of a surprise to many. Cage entertained offers from Kentucky, Arizona, and Gonzaga, but SDSU was the far and away favorite to bring in the lanky power forward. Dana Altman, however, swayed him on his official visit, and he committed in September. Cage has long arms and is a solid post defender. According to ESPN scouting reports, his offensive game needs some refinement and he needs to add more muscle to his frame. Other than those two issues, Altman got a steal with Cage.
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