At last, the staff is complete.
When Don Newman left the Ducks to become an assistant coach for the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks back in September, it left a void in the Oregon basketball coaching staff.
Seven months later, that vacancy has been filled. On Friday, Oregon head coach Ernie Kent announced the hiring of Scott Duncan, who has 22 years of experience as a major college assistant coach.
Duncan is highly respected in the coaching ranks and has been a part of Division I-A programs that have qualified for postseason play 11 times in the past 16 years. Most recently, Duncan was an assistant at Clemson.
He is best known for his recruiting skills. Last November, he was a major part in helping Clemson land four of the nation’s top 100 recruits.
“I was looking for someone who would be able to take our recruiting success to the next level,” Kent said in a released statement. “He has been successful at every level throughout his coaching career.”
Duncan first became aware of the tradition of Oregon basketball after working at a summer camp at McArthur Court in 1977.
“Eugene is a great basketball atmosphere, maybe one of the best five places to play in the country,” Duncan said. “It has captured the attention of a national audience.”
But why leave a conference that includes the likes of North Carolina, Duke and Wake Forest?
“I’m sure there will be some people who would ask why I would leave the [A.C.C.] for the Pac-10,” Duncan said. “The answer is Ernie Kent. He is a giant in our profession right now.”