For the first time in what feels like forever, the Oregon Men’s basketball team is going into the summer with a nearly full roster that is deep, talented and poised to make a run for another PAC-12 Championship. With so many players returning, fans will have many familiar faces to cheer for.
That said, there are still a few new players who will be major contributors for the Ducks this upcoming season. In this new series of articles, I will be going over the newcomers and analyzing how they will fit in with Oregon Basketball.
First, the only true freshman that will be joining the Ducks is four star guard Jalen Terry. The one time Michigan State commit, Terry comes to Oregon with the Ducks looking to fill a vacant point guard position with the graduation of Payton Pritchard. While those are certainly big shoes to fill, Terry will not be asked to do it on his own. The Ducks still have Will Richardson and UNLV grad transfer Amauri Hardy, another new addition.
Jalen Terry looks to be Oregon’s next elite point guard.
Terry has a chance to be a very solid player at Oregon for the next three or four years. He is the type of prospect the Ducks have not had at the point guard position in quite some time. While I’m not saying he will be better or more impactful than Pritchard was at Oregon, Terry brings a different style which should fit perfectly in Dana Altman‘s system.
Terry’s strengths are his quickness and athleticism, especially with the ball in his hands. A proficient player in the pick-and-roll, he is able to get to his spots and create shots for himself and his teammates. Right now, he is much more efficient around the rim and in the mid range, but also has the ability to step out and make an occasional three. Defensively, he has the potential to be a lock down defender, but will need to become more consistently committed on that side of the ball.
As you can see in the video above, Terry is an explosive athlete with long arms and a quick first step. He has a tremendous ability to finish around the rim, and a knack for getting his shot off over bigger defenders. He also has solid court vision and is a willing passer to get his teammates involved.
Where Terry can improve is his consistency shooting the three point shot. He is more than capable of making shots from behind the arc, but right now he is more of a streaky shooter. If he can continue growing that part of his game and become more consistent, he will be a big time contributor for the Ducks down the road.
Terry will shine for the Ducks in the open the court, as his end-to-end speed will turn into one man fast breaks. In the half court, he will be able to break down the defense and get to the rim consistently, something some of Oregon’s guards have had issues with in recent years. This will open up the court, creating scoring opportunities for his teammates.
Aaron Brooks is one of the all-time great Oregon Ducks.
Terry might remind fans of former Duck great Aaron Brooks. While Terry is a better athlete, and Brooks was a more natural scorer, the style of play is very similar. Both are a bit undersized, but quick and savvy, and if Terry can even come close to the career that Brooks had at Oregon, it will be a success.
This upcoming season will be a good opportunity to learn and adjust to the college game without having too much pressure on him to contribute right away. With Richardson returning to handle the majority of the point guard duties, along with the addition of Hardy, Terry will be eased into action. Look for him to have a similar, but slightly less of an impact as Richardson had his freshman season. Terry will be a contributor off the bench, but by no means asked to carry the team.
Overall, Terry is a very solid addition for Altman and this Ducks team. He can be the point guard of the future, and someone Oregon can build and recruit around. He may never be an elite scorer, but having a point guard to rely on goes a long way towards a team’s success. Terry has the opportunity to emerge as the next great Ducks point guard.
Go Ducks!
Coach Alex Nordstrand
Eugene, Oregon
Top Photo From Kevin Cline
Chris Brouilette, the FishDuck.com Volunteer editor for this article, is a current student at the University of Oregon from Sterling, Illinois.
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Alex is a lifelong Duck fan living in Eugene who goes to every Football and Basketball game that he can, and appreciates his wife for putting up with him during those seasons. Sports have always been his biggest passion, having played and coached Basketball at the High School level. He hopes to bring a unique and deeper understanding of both the Men’s and Women’s basketball teams at Oregon, and looks forward to nerding out with everyone while writing and talking Ducks!