Whether it was 2014-15 Pac-12 Player of the Year Joseph Young coming in from Houston or Chris Boucher from the JUCO ranks, head coach Dana Altman has had unprecedented success bringing transfer players to Oregon.
After losing 10 players from the 2020-21 men’s basketball team over the offseason, Altman has reloaded once again.
“Basketball has really changed over the last 10 years as far as guys moving around, and I’m one of those guys that believes that’s okay,” Altman said. “You’ve gotta be all-in wherever you’re at. You gotta make it work, and to make it work at this level you have to know you’re at the right place.”
On paper, the 2021-22 transfer class is one of Altman’s most impressive yet. With four incoming transfers, Altman has now taken in 41 transfers over his 12 offseasons in Eugene.
Guards De’Vion Harmon (Oklahoma), Jacob Young (Rutgers) and Rivaldo Soares (South Plains College) are joined by 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward Quincy Guerrier (Syracuse). Harmon, Young and Guerrier have made up three-fifths of Oregon’s starting lineups thus far.
“That’s our team, you know? Each year we get a whole new squad,” senior guard Will Richardson said. “But they all bring something different… They bring a lot to the table — should be exciting.”
Harmon was rated as one of the nation’s top 10 transfer players. Guerrier was also a hot name coming out of a storied program in Syracuse. Both were named to the Preseason All-Pac-12 Team alongside Richardson.
Last year, Oregon heavily relied on transfers Chris Duarte (from Northwest Florida State College) and Eugene Omoruyi (from Rutgers). Both players averaged over 17 points per game, good for almost half of the team’s total scoring in the 2020-21 season.
This year, the four Ducks transfers combined for 47 points and 23 rebounds in the 83-66 win over Texas Southern to begin the season.
“Quincy is like a three or four, can play the wing, can play down low, physical, can shoot the ball better than what people think,” Richardson said.
“Quincy has been good,” Altman said. “He can rebound, because he could get eight rebounds a game for Syracuse, so I’d like to see that same type of production here.”
Harmon, who was an All-Big 12 honorable mention last season, averaged 12.9 points per game for the Sooners in 2020-21. His decision to move to Eugene was about more than basketball.
“I felt wanted — and to a certain extent loved — by the whole staff, from Altman all the way down,” Harmon said. “Why not come here from down south? Come up to the West Coast and grow up a little bit… That’s what I wanna do. I wanna grow on and off the basketball court.”
Harmon was brought to Oregon in part by new assistant coach Chris Crutchfield, who originally recruited him to Oklahoma.
Harmon said Crutchfield was his biggest reason for coming to Oregon. “He’s become a father figure to me. He was there for me those times at OU when it got rough.”
Jacob Young, the younger brother of the aforementioned Joseph Young, has already graduated from Rutgers. He scored the first 6 points of the game in the 86-63 win over SMU and made five of his first six shots in the season opener.
Oregon fans are hoping Jacob can replicate the success of his older brother.
“Devion and Jacob bring extra ball handlers and both can score off the dribble or play the two and catch and shoot,” Richardson said.
Soares logged 10 points and seven boards in 28 minutes against SMU.
“I think I fit in because I consider myself to be a jack of all trades,” Soares said following the 23-point win. “I feel like my game fits in well with what coach Altman wants.”
Right now, Altman is getting the players he wants. That typically translates to on-court success.
Altman said his new squad has “blended in really quick.”
“We’re always so fortunate when we get guys from really good coaches, really good programs,” he said.
