Oregon State point guard Jackson Shelstad will likely miss the rest of the season.
After the Ducks lost 81-71 to Michigan on Jan. 17, the fourth consecutive game Kjellstad has missed, coach Dana Altman said tests on Friday revealed he had tendon and ligament damage in his right hand that may require surgery and a recovery time of six to eight weeks.
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“If he has to have surgery, it’s going to be this season,” Altman said. “So, I’m sure we won’t have him for the rest of the year. A surgical decision will be made next week…but it looks like it’s just some tendon and ligament damage that hasn’t healed yet.”
Shelstad suffered a hand injury against Omaha on Dec. 28 and has been sidelined since.
The three-year starter and preseason All-Big Ten selection ranks second on the team in scoring at 15.6 points per game and leads the Ducks in assists (59) and steals (17).
He missed the first game of the season while recovering from surgery after fracturing his right hand in preseason training. Altman reiterated Saturday that Shelstad’s current injury is not related to his injury or surgery last fall.
Oregon State’s Jackson Shelstad (right) cheers on the Ducks from the bench during a game against Michigan State on Jan. 17 at Matthew Knight Arena. Shelstad could miss the rest of the season if he needs hand surgery.
Oregon State also was without starting center Nate Butte against Michigan State. The Ducks’ leading scorer sat on the bench with a boot on his left foot. Biettel suffered what Altman called a “calf” injury Tuesday at Nebraska, where Biettel used a scooter to get around without applying pressure.
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Forward Sean Stewart said the team recently held a players-only meeting to address the loss of two top players and how to move forward.
“We’re basically saying, everybody has to come together and the next guy comes up,” Stewart said. “Nobody’s going to play us any less hard because Nate and Jackson are out, so we have to play harder than we ever have.”
Oregon State’s Nate Bittle is injured before a basketball game against Michigan on January 17, 2026 at Matthew Knight Arena.
Chris Hansen covers University of Oregon football, men’s basketball, track and field, cross country and softball for The Register-Guard. You can contact him at chansen@registerguard.com.
This article originally appeared in the Register-Guard: Will Oregon State point guard Jackson Shelstad play again this season? Ducks are not afraid
