Bittle and Shelstad Earn Preseason All-Big Ten Honors
10/07/25 | Men's Basketball
EUGENE, Ore. – Oregon returners Nate Bittle and Jackson Shelstad were named to the Preseason All-Big Ten team today.
Both Bittle and Shelstad earned third team All-Big Ten honors last season, while Bittle was a finalist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year award and a member of the Big Ten All-Defensive team.
Bittle led the Ducks with 14.2 points per game in 2024-25, adding 7.6 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.9 assists per game. He shot 51.1 percent from the field, 33.6 percent from three-point range and 81.1 percent from the free throw line. Bittle blocked a Big Ten-high 74 shots and his 2.1 blocks per game ranked second in the conference.
Shelstad started all 35 games for Oregon last season, averaging 13.7 points (.451 FG%, .379 3P%, .835 FT%), 2.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.0 steals in a team-leading 32.9 minutes per game. The West Linn native recorded four 20-point games and averaged 21.0 points (.640 FG%, .600 3P%) in Oregon's two NCAA Tournament games.
2025-26 Preseason All-Big Ten Team
Bennett Stirtz, Sr., G, Iowa
Yaxel Lendeborg, Grad., F, Michigan
Nick Martinelli, Sr., F, Northwestern
Bruce Thornton, Sr., G, Ohio State
Nate Bittle, Sr., C, Oregon
Jackson Shelstad, Jr., G, Oregon
Trey Kaufman-Renn, Sr., F, Purdue
BRADEN SMITH, Sr., G, Purdue
Donovan Dent, Sr., G, UCLA
John Blackwell, Jr., G, Wisconsin
2025-26 Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year
Braden Smith, Purdue
Unanimous selection listed in ALL CAPS
Both Bittle and Shelstad earned third team All-Big Ten honors last season, while Bittle was a finalist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year award and a member of the Big Ten All-Defensive team.
Bittle led the Ducks with 14.2 points per game in 2024-25, adding 7.6 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.9 assists per game. He shot 51.1 percent from the field, 33.6 percent from three-point range and 81.1 percent from the free throw line. Bittle blocked a Big Ten-high 74 shots and his 2.1 blocks per game ranked second in the conference.
Shelstad started all 35 games for Oregon last season, averaging 13.7 points (.451 FG%, .379 3P%, .835 FT%), 2.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.0 steals in a team-leading 32.9 minutes per game. The West Linn native recorded four 20-point games and averaged 21.0 points (.640 FG%, .600 3P%) in Oregon's two NCAA Tournament games.
2025-26 Preseason All-Big Ten Team
Bennett Stirtz, Sr., G, Iowa
Yaxel Lendeborg, Grad., F, Michigan
Nick Martinelli, Sr., F, Northwestern
Bruce Thornton, Sr., G, Ohio State
Nate Bittle, Sr., C, Oregon
Jackson Shelstad, Jr., G, Oregon
Trey Kaufman-Renn, Sr., F, Purdue
BRADEN SMITH, Sr., G, Purdue
Donovan Dent, Sr., G, UCLA
John Blackwell, Jr., G, Wisconsin
2025-26 Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year
Braden Smith, Purdue
Unanimous selection listed in ALL CAPS
Players Mentioned
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