Best NCAA Transfer Portal Fits for Oregon G Jackson Shelstad

Jackson Shelstad could have a huge bounce-back season. Shelstad sustained a season-ending hand injury in December during his third year at Oregon, and entered the transfer portal when it opened on Tuesday after playing in just 12 games for the Ducks this past season. He averaged 15.6 points and 4.9 assists per game in those dozen games he played before the injury. He’s an offensive engine who can create for himself, score at all three levels and set up his teammates. He makes up for his stature — 6-foot-1, 170-pounds — with blinding speed, precise change-of-direction and a quick release on his shot. Here are the three best fits for Shelstad, who could have two years of NCAA eligibility remaining. Arizona The Wildcats made their first Final Four since 2001, before getting blown out by eventual-champion Michigan. Arizona will lose both starting members of their backcourt as Jaden Bradley is graduating and Brayden Burries is a potential top-10 NBA Draft pick, so Shelstad would help replace their production. He is a West Coast kid, originally from Oregon and attending college there, too, so this move wouldn’t be far for him. The fit itself would be interesting as the Wildcats, by design, don’t attempt a ton of 3-point shots and are big on size; Shelstad hoisted 8.8 per game this past season, and, again, he’s 6-1. Louisville The Cardinals won their first NCAA Tournament game since 2017, but flamed out in the next round. In his two seasons at Louisville, head coach Pat Kelsey has shown an affinity for, and success in, coaching high-usage guards, including Mikel Brown Jr., Ryan Conwell, Terrence Edwards Jr. and Chucky Hepburn; Shelstad would be the next in line. He will reportedly toured the school, per The Field of 68, so the interest in this move is there from both sides. The Cardinals’ system is the antithesis of Arizona’s, as Kelsey allows his guards to play freely and take difficult shots, rather than the Wildcats’ outside-in structure. Shelstad could adapt to either, so it’s down to his preference. Gonzaga The Bulldogs failed to make the Sweet 16 for a second consecutive season, losing to No. 11 seed Texas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Gonzaga didn’t have an elite guard on its roster this season, but has a history of sending ball-handlers to the NBA, such as Ryan Nembhard, Malachi Smith, Julian Strawther and Jalen Suggs. So, Shelstad would fill a gaping hole on the Bulldogs’ roster, and play for a program that has developed guards with NBA aspirations. An obstacle here is that Gonzaga is not in a Power Four (or even Five) conference, although it is moving to the new-age Pac-12 from its longtime home of the West Coast Conference. Mid-major status has never deterred it under coach Mark Few, but the NIL era is a different animal, and Gonzaga might struggle to meet Shelstad’s market and desired platform.