Oregon secures commitment from Alabama transfer F Taylor Bol Bowen

Dana Altman has been rigorously searching for a new point guard in the transfer portal, but he happened to land an important commitment from a talented big man out of the SEC.

Alabama forward Taylor Bol Bowen announced his decision to transfer to the Oregon Ducks on Wednesday, On3's Joe Tipton reports. The 6-foot-10 forward becomes the biggest player on Oregon's roster and comes to Eugene with experience in two of the best conferences in the country, having spent two seasons at Florida State before transferring to the Crimson Tide. Bol Bowen will spend his senior season with the Ducks.

Bol Bowen appeared in 30 games for Alabama last season, which included 11 starts. He averaged 6.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and one block per game while shooting 41.2% from the field and 30.2% from 3-point range. As a sophomore with the Seminoles, Bol Bowen started 27 games and was a force around the rim, averaging 8.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 47.7% from the floor and 41.4% from 3-point land.

The Ducks needed some more size in the frontcourt, but Bol Bowen also provides a ton of athleticism for such a large player. He runs the floor well and can alter shots enough to stretch opposing offenses outside the painted area. Altman won't be able to rely on him offensively as much as he did with Nate Bittle, but there are still some promising traits as an underneath scorer and a decent shot from range.

Bol Bowen was a key role player off the bench for Alabama during their run to the Sweet Sixteen, despite playing through injuries. Given the uncertainty around Oregon's roster, Bol Bowen could quickly establish himself as a starter once again in Eugene. He also brings plenty of big-game experience to a roster filled with young talent and transfers from smaller programs.

Altman also brought in Kentucky transfer guard Jasper Johnson last week, giving the Ducks two SEC transfers this offseason. While the Ducks have clearly been looking for scoring options in the portal, Bol Bowen still fits Altman's desire for big man versatility and could be one of Oregon's best defenders underneath next season.