Oregon’s Chris Boucher has a unique game to match his compelling personal story

It’s hard to separate Chris Boucher the basketball player from Chris Boucher the person, the one who was washing dishes in Montreal only four years ago with little ambition in a hard-luck life. Boucher’s story, from lost soul to college basketball star, is well chronicled at this point, earning him Sports Illustrated cover-boy status and a spotlight on any national broadcast.

It’s a wonder Boucher is even here. Now that he is, Oregon is happy to confirm he has the game to match his story. In his second year in Eugene, Boucher is keeping the Ducks afloat during an unsteady start to what was supposed to be a coronation season. He’s also emerging as college basketball’s most singular talent, a shot-blocking phenom who can run the floor, play above the rim and get hot from three-point range.

Boucher is the sport’s very own unicorn, a player whose skill set should be impossible for a man his size. If he lacks the physicality of rising NBA stars Karl-Anthony Towns, Kristaps Porzingis, and Joel Embiid, his impact is similar.

Now Boucher’s college career is finished with a torn ACL on the brink of Oregon’s NCAA tournament run. It’s heartbreaking news but his game and his story shouldn’t be forgotten.

Boucher bailed Oregon out again with a monster effort against Montana in a win that was too close for comfort. He took over down the stretch to finish with 23 points, 19 rebounds, and five blocks, moving Oregon to 9-2. It was the type of performance that showcased just how rare his combination of skills really is.

Boucher is currently leading the Ducks in scoring, blocks, and field goal percentage while being second in rebounding and third in three-point makes. His averages of 14.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks per game with 35 percent shooting from three have only been matched by seven players since 1993-94.

One of those players was a sophomore at Wake Forest named Tim Duncan, who did it by only making three three-pointers the entire season. Boucher has already canned 11 in 11 games. Another player on that list is Joe Smith, who made only two threes at Maryland as a freshman in 1994.

That’s two No. 1 overall NBA draft picks, if you’re keeping track. The rest of the list is made up of small-conference players from Iona, Oakland, and Vermont. The only other major-conference player on the list is Cincinnati’s Eric Hicks, who met the requirements way back in 2005-06.

One player isn’t supposed to be able to do all of this:

The knock on Boucher has always been his frame. At 6’10, he’s listed at only 200 pounds. That hasn’t stopped from turning into an interior anchor at Oregon, both as a shot blocker and rebounder.

Boucher’s block rate of 11.9 percent ranked No. 6 in the country last year, per KenPom. This year he’s raised it to 12.9 percent. He’s also become a force on the offensive glass, posting a 13.2 offensive rebound rate that ranks No. 65 in the country.

If Boucher’s diverted path hindered the development of his body, it might have helped his skill level. He didn’t start playing organized basketball until he was 19 years old, instead spending his early years as a soccer player and his late teens hooping on playgrounds. Boucher credits soccer for his endurance and it’s easy to think the playground sessions helped his jumper.

Instead of being forced to learn a traditional big man’s game by youth coaches, Boucher developed his ball handling and shooting by himself. It’s been evident this year in games against Valparaiso and UConn. Against Valpo, Boucher went 3 for 5 from deep for 25 points; against UConn, he hit 5 of 7 attempts from three.

The golden ticket at any level of basketball is a big man who can protect the rim on defense and stretch the floor on offense. That’s the type of player Oregon has. Even more, Boucher isn’t some gravity-bound slug who struggles to move his feet. He’s an elite athlete who can run in transition and dunk home lobs.

Oregon was No. 5 in the preseason polls, but Dillon Brooks’ slow return from foot surgery prevented the Ducks from running out of the gates. Oregon has only lost to a surging Baylor team and an underwhelming Georgetown team, but wins over UConn, Boise State, and Montana have been closer than expected.

For now, Boucher is the Ducks’ saving grace. At 23 years old, he’s finally found a home and a seamless fit at Oregon. The story seems too good to be true, but Chris Boucher is very real.