Nathan Bittle, nicknamed "The Alligator", (born June 3, 2003) is an American college basketball player for the Oregon Ducks of the Pac-12 Conference.

Nathan Bittle
No. 32 – Oregon Ducks
PositionCenter
LeaguePac-12 Conference
Personal information
Born (2003-06-03) June 3, 2003 (age 21)
Central Point, Oregon, U.S.
Listed height7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
Listed weight215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High school
CollegeOregon (2021–present)
Career highlights and awards

High school career

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Bittle played basketball for Crater High School in Central Point, Oregon. In his sophomore season, he averaged 21.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.5 blocks per game.[1] He had 10 blocks, an Oregon School Activities Association state tournament single-game record, against Pendleton High School in a 5A consolation game.[2] As a junior, he averaged 25 points, 11 rebounds and 4.5 blocks per game, leading his team to the 5A state semifinals before the tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He earned 5A Player of the Year accolades from The Oregonian.[3] Bittle transferred to Prolific Prep in Napa, California for his senior season, after his Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) coach Mark Phelps was hired as head coach of the program.[4] He was named to the rosters for the McDonald's All-American Game, Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoop Summit.[5]

Recruiting

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Bittle was considered a five-star recruit by 247Sports and ESPN, and a four-star recruit by Rivals. On September 15, 2020, he committed to playing college basketball for Oregon over offers from Gonzaga, UCLA and Arizona.[6]

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Nathan Bittle
C
Central Point, OR Prolific Prep (CA) 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Sep 15, 2020 
Recruiting star ratings: Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN:    ESPN grade: 94
Overall recruiting rankings:   Rivals: 42  247Sports: 25  ESPN: 11
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "Oregon 2021 Basketball Commitments". Rivals.com. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  • "2021 Oregon Ducks Recruiting Class". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  • "2021 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved October 4, 2021.

College career

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After playing sparingly as a freshman, Bittle averaged 7.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game as a sophomore. He missed nine weeks as a junior following surgery on his left wrist.[7]

Career statistics

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Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

College

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2021–22 Oregon 23 0 6.9 .500 .200 .529 1.9 .2 .2 .7 1.7
2022–23 Oregon 28 22 18.3 .490 .339 .667 5.1 .8 .4 1.2 7.3
Career 51 22 13.2 .492 .328 .636 3.7 .5 .3 1.0 4.8

Personal life

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Bittle's father, Ryan, played college basketball at the Oregon Institute of Technology.[8]

References

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  1. ^ James, Marty (March 1, 2021). "Napa Valley Notes and Quotes: Prolific Prep's Bittle named an All-American". Napa Valley Register. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  2. ^ Gates, Billy (March 7, 2019). "6-foot-10 sophomore Nate Bittle records triple-double en route to claiming two all-time state tournament marks". Oregon School Activities Association. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  3. ^ Derby, Cameron (April 15, 2020). "Bittle named 2020 5A Player of the Year". KDRV. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  4. ^ Nemec, Andrew (August 18, 2020). "Nathan Bittle, 5-star center, transferring from Crater High School to Prolific Prep: Sources". The Oregonian. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  5. ^ Henry, Kris (February 23, 2021). "Nate Bittle named McDonald's All-American". Mail Tribune. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  6. ^ Borzello, Jeff; Biancardi, Paul (September 15, 2020). "Nate Bittle, No. 8 basketball player in ESPN 100, commits to Oregon Ducks". ESPN. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  7. ^ Crepea, James (January 23, 2024). "Oregon men's basketball center Nate Bittle expected to return vs. Arizona State". The Oregonian. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  8. ^ Kornhauser, Jacob (January 4, 2018). "Amateur Athlete: Larger-Than-Life Freshman Nathan Bittle Hits the Ground Running for Crater". KDRV. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
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