The Oregon Ducks' men's basketball program experienced plenty of change this offseason. The Ducks lost nine players to the transfer portal after finishing 12-20 last season. Dana Altman brought eight players to Eugene out of the portal, joining forward Sean Stewart, the lone Duck from last season to stick around.
That is, until the Ducks added junior guard Wei Lin back to the roster on Wednesday, according to the team website, giving Oregon two returning contributors from last season. Lin came to Oregon last year after playing three seasons for the Nanjing Monkey Kings in China. He entered the transfer portal after the season and was pursued by some programs, including North Carolina, but never found a new home.
“Everything changes," Altman said
on Thursday. "We’ve never had somebody enter the portal and then come back. It’s kind of like you ask somebody for a divorce, and the divorce is in place. But that doesn’t mean I don’t stay in contact with the guys."
Lin appeared in 30 games last season, making nine starts. He had some high and low moments in his first season as a Duck, but he was also adjusting to a new style of basketball and was forced into a larger role after Jackson Shelstad suffered an injury that held him out for most of the season.
Lin averaged 6.6 points, 1.7 assists, and 0.9 rebounds in 17.6 minutes per game. He shot 34.4 percent from the floor, 29.5 percent from 3-point range, and 82.4 percent from the free throw line. Lin took time to figure out his role in Oregon's offense, but he had a stretch of good games in Big Ten play. He scored a season-high 23 points and added five assists in an overtime loss to Rutgers in January, drilling six triples in the process.
In the portal, Lin never received the opportunities he was hoping for. However, Lin and Altman didn't burn their bridge, leaving the door ajar for a return. Lin will be back in green and yellow this winter, hoping to build upon his first season in Eugene.
"He wanted to come back, and the coaching staff felt like it was worth bringing him back," Altman said. "I just had to remind him, ‘If you’re in, you’re in.’”
Oregon added some guard depth from the transfer portal out of necessity, so Lin provides some consistency for Altman to work with. Kentucky transfer Jasper Johnson, Boston College transfer Fred Payne and San Francisco transfer Tyrone Riley IV will all be key figures in the rotation, so Lin will need to find a role again. The Ducks did plan to add transfer forward Malique Ewin, but he is currently battling for his eligibility.
The Ducks have time to figure out the right combination and where Lin fits into the bigger picture. Altman and the Ducks traveled for exhibition games this summer, giving him an idea of how the team can play together. A schedule for the season should be released soon, giving Lin another opportunity to grow with the Ducks.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon adds G Wei Lin back to roster for 2026-27 season
