Veteran White Ready for His First Road Trip with Oregon

EUGENE, Ore. – Despite having faced several opponents in Portland during the PK80 Invitational, the 2017-18 Oregon men's basketball team won't have faced its first true road test until playing at Fresno State on Saturday (3 p.m., CBS Sports Network).

During their trip down to the Golden State, Oregon will rely on veterans like Paul White to bring leadership and experience to a young roster, six of whom have yet to play a true road game at the Division I level. White understands that older players will be looked at to set an example, and he knows it will be an unfamiliar experience for the younger guys.

"They can only understand through stories or film," White said. "They're really not going to be able to grasp what's going on until they step on that floor and the fans are screaming."

While White has never played an away game with the Ducks, having sat out the 2016-17 season as per NCAA transfer rules, he did experience road games with Big East powerhouse Georgetown before transferring to Oregon. During his freshman campaign at Georgetown, White recorded minutes in all 33 games and averaged 5.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game on the way to making an NCAA Tournament appearance.

White's takeaways from his experience early on at Georgetown, coupled with being a part of the immense success Oregon had last season, provide a wealth of knowledge. White has tried to incorporate elements of both experiences into his leadership style this year. He said he especially looks to follow the lead of players like Dillon Brooks and Jordan Bell, who led Oregon last year.

"They hated to lose, and that kind of attitude goes a long way, believe it or not," said White. "It sounds so simple, but in the game of basketball some people just have it, some don't. I've really tried to kind of replicate that same kind of attitude."

White also tries to foster relationships with some of the younger players, and takes opportunities to mentor them – an admirable characteristic of a leader. Some of the players jokingly call him "Grandpa Paul" or "Uncle P" because of the father-figure status he holds on the team.

White's experience at the Division I level also translates beyond his leadership abilities and into the success he is having on the court. This season, White earned his way into the starting lineup and is currently shooting 50 percent from the field while averaging 12 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.

Head coach Dana Altman recognizes the immense value of White's on-court and off-court presence, which is why he has made it clear to White that he needs to set an example in a leadership role.

"My role being an older player is setting a tone for the rest of the team," White said. "Defensively, rebounding. Composure wise, bringing that kind of experience to this inexperienced team. We have a lot of talent, but the experience is not there. That is really what coach preaches to us."

While this may be White's first real road trip with Oregon, there is no question about his breadth of experience and how he will use it to lead the Ducks.

"It's going to be a little more difficult," said White. "But at the end of the day it's just basketball and we're just out there playing our game."