Oregon’s seven-foot graduate offers rare offensive versatility and elite rim protection. Despite injury concerns, his high-upside skill set makes him a low-risk, high-reward target for Sacramento’s frontcourt.
Just three days out from the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, we at KingsRoundtable will continue to highlight different prospects in the class.
Lately, I have covered second round talents like Gonzaga big man Graham Ike, Miami (OH) guard Peter Suder, and Miami guard Tre Donaldson.
This profile will continue that theme, with Oregon center Nate Bittle as the focus.
Versatile Skillset
A five-year player at Oregon, Bittle grew into a very talented offensive big man under head coach Dana Altman.
In his graduate year, Bittle led the Ducks in scoring, averaging 16.8 points per game, adding 6.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.8 blocks.
Bittle has great footwork on the block, while his jump shot allows him to step out for mid-range and 3-point looks.
In a midseason matchup against Ike and Gonzaga, Bittle scored 28 points, knocking down three triples and getting to the charity stripe.
The 7-footer also displayed good vision, adding five assists and no turnovers.
Bittle's passing is an element of his game that goes unnoticed at times, but the Central Point, Oregon, native makes the right reads out of double teams and knows when to give up the basketball.
Rim Protector
Averaging nearly two blocks per game, Bittle poses a huge threat to send away your shot.
Bittle leaves Oregon with 176 career blocks, ranking third in program history.
In his strong showing against Gonzaga, Bittle recorded four rejections, adding another ten blocks over his next two apperances.
Areas For Improvement
Bittle's shooting splits are not great, especially for his size.
The 7-footer made just 54.8 percent of his 2-point attempts, knocking down less than 32 percent of his triples.
Bittle can shoot the 3-ball, but he takes maybe too many attempts for his size and ability down low.
Draft Projection
Bittle is one of the older players in the class, and has some injury history, making him a bit of a risky pick.
He will likely be seen as an UDFA prospect, with high upside due to his size and skill.
On ESPN's big board, Bittle is ranked as the No. 55 overall prospect.
Are Kings a Fit?
With Domantas Sabonis and rookie big man Maxime Raynaud sitting atop the front court depth chart, centers are not a priority for Sacramento in the second round.
However, taking a flier on Bittle could pay off, especially if he can tighten up his 3-pointer and stay healthy.
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