Deja Kelly, the former UNC guard who entered the transfer portal in last week, has committed to Oregon for her final year of eligibility. ESPN’s Alexa Philippou first reported the news, which was confirmed by Kelly herself just five minutes later.
The four-year starter, who still has one year remaining due to the COVID freebie year, led her team in scoring for three seasons, and was also named All-ACC three times. She averaged 15.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game over four years, and 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists last season.
Kelly, who started all four years at UNC, is a big get for for the Ducks, and one they sorely need. Not only is Oregon moving to the Big Ten next season, but seven players from their 2023-2024 squad entered the transfer portal. Kennedy Basham, Grace VanSlooten, and Chance Gray left on April 3, then Raegan Beers, Donovyn Hunter, Lily Hansford and Martha Pietsch followed on April 11.
That’s a pretty big exodus of players, but it makes more sense in context. Oregon had a difficult year, finishing 11-22 with a 2-17 record in the now-deceased Pac-12. Their season ended with a 14-game losing streak.
To replace those players she’s lost, head coach Kelly Graves has added six new players (including Texas’ Amina Muhammad, Washington’s Ari Long, and UC Santa Barbara’s Alexis Whitfield), with Kelly being the seventh.
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