Shakur Juiston and Anthony Mathis

From: UNLV (Juiston) / New Mexico (Mathis) To: Oregon

Another projected Top 25 team that landed multiple grad transfers is Oregon. Coach Dana Altman bolstered this year’s roster with two probable starters in Shakur Juiston and Anthony Mathis. Juiston committed to the Ducks on July 12, and he was one of the most sought-after graduate transfers this offseason. Last year, the 6’7” forward suffered a knee injury that required surgery after 8 games with UNLV. Juiston was granted a medical redshirt and has since recovered. In 2017-18, he started all 33 games for UNLV, averaging 14.6 points and 10 rebounds per game. That year, he was Top 3 in the Mountain West in rebounds, FG%, and FGA. He is a dominant force on the glass, and his knack for rebounding is paired with his intense effort and hustle. While his defensive rebounding is elite, he is also an efficient scorer. He is not a pure shooter by any means, he can finish around the rim and occasionally hit a mid-range jumper if needed. In 2017-18, he shot 63.9% from the field with a .631 TS%. For what it’s worth, Juiston is used to impacting a new program in his first season there. Prior to his time at UNLV, he won the NABC Player of the Year award during his time at Hutchinson Community College (KS). Juiston’s length and athleticism should fit right into the Duck’s front-court, and he projects to be a major contributor for an Oregon team that has lofty goals.

Grad-transfer Anthony Mathis committed to Oregon for this season after four years in New Mexico. Through his first two years in Albuquerque, Mathis appeared in 35 games with zero starts. After appearing in only 10 games in his sophomore year, he requested a release from his scholarship, prior to the firing of then-head coach Craig Neal. After coach Neal was released, Mathis stayed at UNM and played two more years for the Lobos. In an interesting case, Mathis applied for and was granted a fifth year of eligibility and elected to transfer to Oregon for the 2019-20 season. Mathis is a potent shooter with deep range and a quick trigger. In 2018-19, he averaged 14.4 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. He also shot 41.6% from three-point range and averaged 8.0 3PA per game. Mathis attempted 10+ three-pointers in 9 games last season and made four threes in 15 games. Although it was a surprise that he was granted an additional year of eligibility, his transfer destination was not surprising. Mathis is an Oregon native and played high school hoops with Oregon starting PG Payton Pritchard. Last season, Pritchard averaged 4.6 APG and will love the addition of a knockdown shooter like Anthony Mathis this year. The Pritchard – Mathis connection should help steady the ship during Oregon’s early season match-ups. With so many new players, their chemistry, experience, and leadership should steady the Ducks until the entire team meshes as a unit. Overall, Altman’s squad is full of offensive weapons, and they are currently one of the favorites to win the Pac-12.