Dana Altman and Oregon Add Fifth Year Transfer Guard Jason Calliste

CBS Sports is reporting today that Oregon has added fifth year transfer guard Jason Calliste.

Detroit transfer Jason Calliste has committed to Oregon, per a source. Eligible immediately. Terrific late pickup for Dana Altman.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) August 25, 2013

Calliste is a 6'2 shooting guard who played for the Detroit Titans last season, averaging 14.4 points, 3.3 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game, including 73 three pointers. A three star prospect and top 150 player nationally out of high school, Calliste fills the scholarship spot that was left open after Cristiano Felicio was ruled ineligible by the NCAA.

Calliste also provides insurance should Houston transfer Joseph Young need to sit out a year. If Young is eligible this year he will have two years to play at Oregon; if ineligible he will have to sit out this year and have one year of eligibility remaining next season.

It is somewhat surprising that Oregon didn't try to add another front court player, though this could also be an indication that they are not optimistic about Joseph Young's eligibility. Whether or not Young is eligible, expect  Oregon to run multiple guard sets next season as they are now loaded in the back court with Damyean Dotson, Dominic Artis, and Johnathan Loyd all returning, as well as Elgin Cook, Jalil Abdul-Bassit, Calliste, and possibly Young coming in as transfers. With the addition of Calliste, it seems possible that Jalil Abdul-Bassit could red shirt this season, along with freshman AJ Lapray.

With only one year of eligibility remaining, you have to figure that Calliste sees himself at the front of the line to earn playing time among the incoming transfers. Though somewhat under the radar while playing in the Horizon League, the addition of Calliste has nonetheless been universally praised by the national media:

Excellent pickup. RT @JonRothstein: Detroit transfer Jason Calliste has committed to Oregon, per a source. Eligible immediately.

— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) August 25, 2013

Oregon is officially Transfer U. Another transfer for the Ducks with Dertoit's Jason Calliste.

— William Whelan (@William_Whelan) August 25, 2013

How's Altman so good at this? RT @JonRothstein: Detroit transfer Jason Calliste has committed to Oregon, per a source. Eligible immediately.

— JB Long (@JB_Long) August 25, 2013

W/addition of Jason Calliste, if Oregon can get Joe Young eligible immediately, they will have arguably deepest backcourt in country

— Daniel Marks (@dgm591) August 25, 2013

Even before the addition of Calliste, this was Oregon's most talented team since Altman's arrival in Eugene. How quickly Altman can integrate all of the new players into his system will ultimately determine the team's success next year, but there is every reason to believe that Oregon will challenge for the Pac-12 title and be very dangerous come tournament time.

An early prediction as to how Oregon's depth chart will look heading into next season (assuming Lapray and Abdul-Bassit red shirt):

G - Dominic Artis, Johnathan Loyd

G - Jason Calliste/Joseph Young, Elgin Cook

G - Damyean Dotson, Elgin Cook

F - Mike Moser, Richard Amardi/Jordan Bell

F - Ben Carter, Waverly Austin

Here is a highlight video of Jason Calliste's (#10) game against Toledo last year: