With nearly all its bigs having departed, Duquesne has added a sizable presence to its 2026-27 men’s basketball roster with the addition of Oregon transfer Ege Demir, a 6-foot-11, 275-pound senior with professional playing experience in Turkey.
The Nigerian-born Demir, who Saturday posted his decision on his Instagram page, averaged 2.2 points and 3.5 rebounds in 19 games last season off the bench for Oregon before a shoulder injury sidelined him for the remainder of the year.
He is the fourth player from the NCAA transfer portal to commit to Duquesne coach Dru Joyce III, who will enter his third season on The Bluff, joining a trio of guards: Izaiah Pasha from Virginia Tech, Yoav Berman from Queens and Josh Smith from West Georgia.
Demir, in 8.7 minutes per game at Oregon, shot 44.4% (20 for 45). His best game came Dec. 13, when he posted his first career double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds in a 104-62 rout of UC Davis.
He previously played three seasons in a reserve role for two teams in the Turkey Basketball Super League. Demir possesses a wing span of 7-3.
Duquesne, which went 18-15 last season, including 9-9 in the Atlantic 10, returns just one player taller than 6-9 — redshirt freshman Frederik Jellum (6-10, 210) — after losing its other big men, including starters in 6-9 David Dixon (graduation) and 6-10 Jakub Necas (South Carolina).
Other Duquesne players to transfer out include 6-10 forwards Lazar Milosevic (Longwood) and Stef van Bussel (South Dakota) and guard Dom Aekins (Youngstown State).
Duquesne also lost its starting backcourt of Terrence Guinyard (graduation) and Jimmie Williams (Ohio State), as well as four other contributors in guards Cam Crawford, Alex Williams and Maximus Edwards, and 6-11, 270-pound forward John Hugley IV, all to graduation.
A total of only two Duquesne players with significant experience return. Junior guard Jake DiMichele and senior guard Brandon Hall join Jellum and redshirt freshman guard Arness Lawson as returnees.
Three incoming freshmen include 7-foot, 280-pound Greek center Dimitrios Ntapsis; 6-4 guard Jackson Williams, from Spire Academy; and 6-7 guard/forward Chaim Galbut, from Miami Country Day School.
Galbut reportedly will attempt to become the first Orthodox Jewish men’s player to complete a full four-year career in Division I basketball.
Galbut, a practicing Orthodox Jew, observes the Shabbat and said he would be unavailable for any scheduled Saturday games.
