Dana Altman expects freshman guard Jackson Shelstad to be sidelined for the first 2-3 weeks of the season.

Speaking with reporters after Oregon’s 82-71 win over Georgia on Monday night, Altman said the program will be patient with the first-year guard from West Linn. Shelstad is reportedly dealing with a knee injury that happened in training camp.

“He’s going to be out for a while,” Altman said. “We are going to be really patient with him. He’s got a really good career ahead.”

Shelstad was a 5-star recruit out of the 2023 class. The industry-generated 247 Composite had him ranked as the No. 24 prospect in the cycle. Oregon was expecting him to come in right away and fill a role in the rotation.

“He was really playing good. He was really starting to practice well. He was getting a better feel for what we needed as a ball team,” Altman said. “His assist ratio was going up, his assist-to-turnover ratio was going up, he was really getting squared up on his 3s, looked pretty good shooting it. I really liked where he was going.”

Now, Shelstad will have to wait a bit to make his debut. A two- or three-week timeline would put his return right around Thanksgiving. Oregon hosts Tennessee State on Friday, Nov. 17, and then travels to Florida A&M the following Monday. On Nov. 24, it plays Santa Clara in the first round of the Emerald Coast Classic.

Oregon is also without fellow 2023 signee Mookie Cook. He’s not expected back until December.

“As far as Mookie and Jackson are concerned, I just don’t think we can rush them back,” Altman said.