Three seasons at Oregon are enough for Jackson Shelstad, who will be entering the 2026 college basketball transfer portal once it officially opens in April.
Shelstad, a former top-50 recruit, led Oregon to two NCAA Tournament seasons in his first two years with the team. However, a myriad of injuries limited him to just 12 games in his junior season, a big factor in the Ducks' nightmare 12-20 campaign.
Shelstad now intends to leave Oregon and enter the 2026 college basketball transfer portal, On3 Sports' Joe Tipton reported on Tuesday. The West Linn native is seeking a medical redshirt for his injury-shortened season, which would give him two years of remaining eligibility.
Despite his injury woes, Shelstad will be one of the top players in the 2026 transfer portal. He averages 13.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists in his three-year career while shooting 35.2 percent from deep.
Shelstad has not played since Dec. 28, 2025, when he notched 13 points and four rebounds in a win over Omaha. Oregon was already struggling at that point with a middling 6-6 record, but it would win just five of its final 19 games without him.
Shelstad's expected departure leaves the Ducks no choice but to conduct a full rebuild in the 2026 offseason. Oregon will also lose star center Nate Bittle, who has exhausted his NCAA eligibility. Forwards Kwame Evans Jr. and Sean Stewart, along with guards Takai Simpkins and fan-favorite sharpshooter Wei Lin, are now on transfer watch in Eugene.
After advancing to the Round of 32 the previous two seasons, Oregon was expected to remain competitive in the Big Ten with Bittle, Shelstad and Evans all returning. Instead, untimely injuries to Shelstad and Bittle contributed to the Ducks' worst season since 2008-2009.
