Nate Bittle wasted little time making his presence felt in his NBA Summer League debut.
The former Oregon center got the start for the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night in Las Vegas and turned in a strong all-around performance in an 83-80 overtime loss to the Boston Celtics at the Pavilion. In 26 minutes, Bittle posted eight points, 10 rebounds, three assists and six blocks.
The defensive numbers stood out immediately. Bittle was active near the rim all night, and the six rejections were the obvious headline from his first Summer League game. He also gave Toronto value on the glass, pulling down two offensive rebounds and eight defensive boards, while finishing with a team-best plus-13 rating.
Bittle shot 3-of-7 from the field and went 2-of-5 from three-point range, showing the kind of two-way skill set that made him an intriguing NBA prospect. His ability to protect the basket while also stepping out and knocking down two threes offered Toronto a clear look at what he can bring.
At Oregon, Bittle built his reputation as one of the program’s top defensive big men. He finished his Ducks career with 176 blocked shots, which ranks third in school history, and became the 41st Duck to reach 1,000 career points. In his final season, he led Oregon with averages of 16.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.8 blocks per game.
Toronto also got minutes from another former Duck. Brandon Angel came off the bench and played 15 minutes, finishing with two points and four rebounds, including three offensive boards. He shot 1-of-2 from the field and did not turn the ball over.
Angel spent one season at Oregon after transferring from Stanford and started all 35 games for the Ducks in the 2024-25 season. He averaged 8.3 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 53.6 percent from the field, 36.8 percent from three and 82.6 percent from the free throw line.
The Raptors led 34-26 at halftime before Boston pushed back in the second half. Toronto forced overtime, but the Celtics finished the extra period with a 6-3 edge.
In Other News...
Oregon Just Got An Early Recruiting Signal At A Crucial Position
Oregon got an encouraging early read on one of the class of 2028s more coveted pass rushers when George Parkinson IV trimmed his list to six schools, putting the Ducks alongside Tennessee, LSU, Penn State, Ohio State and Texas A&M. The four-star EDGE from Pennsylvania is already drawing national attention, and Oregons presence in that group matters because the Ducks are clearly looking ahead at a position that will need fresh talent before long.
The interest is easy to understand from Oregons side. The Ducks are projecting real turnover at EDGE after 2026, with Teitum Tuioti and Matayo Uiagalelei both expected to move on, and the portal could create even more uncertainty on top of that. Parkinson IV has not set a commitment date, so this one figures to stay on the radar for a while, but getting into the final six this early is a useful signal for a program trying to stay ahead of the curve. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Just Pulled A Proven Bat From A Team Ducks Fans Love Beating
USCs roster turnover keeps rolling after the 2026 season, and the latest hit comes from a familiar place for Oregon fans. Infielder Adrian Lopez is out after a productive year in Los Angeles, joining a Trojans exodus that has already been fueled by both the MLB Draft and the transfer portal. For a Ducks program that has spent plenty of time trying to stay ahead of USC in the Big Ten, it is the kind of addition that immediately stands out.
Lopez brings the sort of bat Oregon has been looking to add, coming off a season in which he was one of USCs more reliable run producers and also gave the Trojans a lift in the postseason. The move also lands against the backdrop of a USC roster that has thinned dramatically since the season ended, with the portal and the draft taking a heavy toll as July 11 approached. For Oregon, the appeal is obvious, even if the full impact of the move will have to wait until the next round of roster movement settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Bear Alexander Is Suddenly Getting The Kind Of Hype Georgia Fans Notice
Bear Alexanders name is getting a fresh round of attention this summer, and not just because Oregon enters EA Sports College Football 27 as the games highest-rated team at 91 overall. The veteran defensive lineman comes in at 90 himself, a reflection of the kind of impact he made after settling in with the Ducks and turning in a strong 2025 season that earned him Second-team All-Big Ten honors.
For Oregon, the intrigue is obvious: Alexander is entering his redshirt senior year in 2026 with the sort of profile that makes a defense look deeper and more dangerous on paper. For Georgia fans, the recognition is familiar in a different way, since he has already worn the colors of both Georgia and USC before landing in Eugene, and the latest ratings suggest he has become exactly the kind of interior force that tends to draw notice wherever he goes. [Read more 🡒]