Nate Bittle: Rim Protector with Range

Bittle has significantly improved over his time at Oregon, becoming a defensive anchor with offensive versatility. He brings many skills to the table but will Bittle be able to find a role in the NBA?

As an avid Golden State Warriors fan, I’ve become very acclimated and familiar with the Dubs’ current roster this year, and one player I have been particularly intrigued by is Quinten Post. At 7’0’’, Post provides much needed size for the Warriors, who had been operating with 6’9’’ Kevon Looney as their primary big over the last few years. But in addition to Post’s size, he also brings spacing; unlike Looney and Trayce Jackson-Davis, Post is a significant threat from the three point line, and inserting Post into the rotation has allowed the Warriors offense to become more dynamic and create more open shots. Oregon’s Nate Bittle brings similar tools to the table as Post, being a relatively lankier big with shot blocking prowess and the ability to shoot from deep. It’s clear that players like Post and Bittle have the potential to make an impact in the NBA, with teams valuing shooting and versatility more and more. While Post has been able to carve out his role with the Warriors, can Bittle do the same in the future?

Bittle posts up a defender(Stephen R. Sylvanie)

Basic Stats (2024-2025): 27.7 MPG, 14.2 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.8 SPG, 2.1 BPG, 1.6 TO/G, 51.1% FG%, 33.6% 3P%

Pros:

• Versatile offensive player with a soft shooting touch

  • Good interior scorer with an array of post moves- shows good footwork on postups

    • Patient in the post and is deceptive with his moves/fakes

  • Solid shooter for a big, shooting 33.6% on threes for the year(66th percentile)

    • Makes the defense respect his threat of shooting, leading to increased opportunities offensively

  • Great mid range shooter as well and is not afraid to settle for mid range shots

    • 13.5% of Bittle’s shots were mid rangers(85th percentile), and he shot 51.0% on the year(89th percentile)

• Great shot blocker and a strong overall defender

  • 2.1 BPG(99th percentile), 8.3% Block %(94th percentile)

    • 10.0% Hakeem %(Block % + Steal %), ranking in the 94th percentile- indicates he is a very active defender who forces turnovers

  • At the rim, opponents are only shooting 17/49(34.7%) on the year against Bittle, showcasing his ability to affect shots and disrupt opponents

  • Bittle is a great help defender and knows when to rotate in order to block/affect shots

• Solid playmaker who sees the court well

  • Oregon frequently had Bittle play at the high post or on the perimeter after setting screens, and he showcased his passing ability, particularly on cuts to the basket

  • Recognizes double teams in the post well and adjusts to pass to the open man

  • 14.4% Assist %(88th percentile) and 1.20 Ast/TOV ratio(78th percentile), indicating he takes care of the ball relatively well

Cons:

• On pick and rolls, Bittle primarily plays drop coverage, which has worked well for him at his time at Oregon

  • However, he may be forced to step up and at least show against NBA guards who are much better shooters

  • Needs to improve his lateral quickness/mobility on the defensive end in order to keep up with guards

• Underweight for a center

  • At 220 lbs, Bittle may be overpowered by stronger and bigger players in the paint

  • Will also need to gain muscle in order to hold his own in terms of rebounding

    • His rebounding success in college may not necessarily translate to the NBA

• Not an elite athlete- relatively high floor but limited upside as a player

• Injury concern- only played 5 games in the 2023-2024 season due to a wrist injury and illness

  • NBA teams may not want to take a risk on a player like Bittle with previous significant injury history

• Good free throw shooter but does not get to the line very frequently

  • 30.7% FT Attempt Rate(34th percentile)- mainly due to his playstyle as more of a finesse big rather than being more physical inside

Final Take: Bittle has the tools to develop into a stretch big at the NBA level and is a capable shooter with a soft touch in the paint. However, he needs to add on more muscle and improve his mobility defensively to keep up against quicker guards.

Draft Projection: Late 2nd Round to Undrafted

Player Comp: Quinten Post