Last Year: 31-6; SEC Regular Season (16-2) and Tournament champions, lost in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament
Head Coach: Nate Oats (Fifth Year; 92-42 at Alabama, with three NCAA Tournament appearances)
Projected Starting Lineup
| PG Mark Sears – 6’1″, 185 – Senior |
| SG Aaron Estrada – 6’3″, 195 – Senior (5th) |
| SF Rylan Griffen – 6’6″, 190 – Sophomore |
| PF Grant Nelson – 6’11”, 230 – Senior |
| F/C Nick Pringle – 6’10”, 230 – Senior |
Projected Starters’ 2022-23 Stats
Mark Sears: 12.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.2 spg – 40.6% FG
Aaron Estrada: 20.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 4.3 apg, 1.5 spg – 36.8% 3FG @ Hofstra
Rylan Griffen: 5.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 0.7 apg, 0.6 spg – 36.5% FG
Grant Nelson: 17.9 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.7 bpg – 52.1% FG @ North Dakota
Nick Pringle: 3.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 0.4 bpg, 0.2 spg – 84.7% FG
Experienced Reserves
| G Latrell Wrightsell, Jr – 6’3″, 190 – Senior |
| F/C Mohamed Wague – 6’10”, 225 – Junior |
Experienced Reserves’ 2022-23 Stats
Latrell Wrightsell: 16.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.5 – 38.3% 3FG @ Cal State Fullerton
Mohamed Wague: 4.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 0.5 bpg, 0.4 spg – 74.2% FG
Freshmen
| F Jarrin Stevenson – 6’11”, 210 – Freshman – Reclassified Consensus Top 50 recruit |
| F Sam Walters – 6’10”, 198 – Freshman – Consensus Top 100 recruit |
| F Mouhamed Dioubate – 6’7″, 215 – Freshman – Consensus Top 150 recruit |
| F Kris Parker – 6’9″, 195 – Freshman – Consensus Top 200 recruit |
| G Davin Cosby, Jr – 6’5″, 205 – Redshirt Freshman |
The University of Alabama has featured a team playing basketball since the 1912-13 season, and never before last winter had they won so many games. The Crimson Tide went 31-6, won both the SEC regular season and tournament crowns, advanced to the Sweet Sixteen, and finished the season ranked #1 in the AP Poll. The team’s star freshman, Brandon Miller, was named the league’s Rookie of the Year, tourney MVP, Player of the Year, and a Consensus All-American.
And yet, the immensely successful basketball season also saw an indescribably tragic twist, as one of the team’s former players was charged with murder. Further, Miller admitted to police that he had brought the weapon used in the killing to the alleged murderer, upon that person’s request. Even furthermore, Tide head coach Nate Oats would go on to tell reporters “We knew about that,” when questioned about Miller’s alleged involvement in what would lead to murder. “Can’t control everything anybody does outside of practice. Nobody knew that was going to happen. … Brandon hasn’t been in any type of trouble, nor is he in any type of trouble in this case. Wrong spot at the wrong time.”
The ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ theme would have started playing at that point, but there was no humor to be found. Oats walked back his comments, the legal system did its thing, and ‘Bama kept on playing basketball.
The team’s young core rallied following the tragic killing, and finished the year hot. The Tide rode a 22-3 finish into the conference tourney and on to the Sweet Sixteen; and it took the national runner-up to finally knock Bama off of their perch.
Despite losing Miller and co-starters Noah Clowney and Charles Bediako to the professional ranks and a pair of point guards to the Transfer Portal, Alabama has stocked up for another big run towards the top. It’s been a particularly impressive offseason because Alabama’s turnover has not been relegated to the court; each one of the assistant coaches Oats relied upon last season left after the NCAA Tournament.
Charlie Henry is now in charge at Georgia Southern, Bryan Hodgson is leading the way at Arkansas State, and former Tide guard and longtime assistant Antoine Pettway has gone to be the head coach at Kennesaw State.
While freshmen largely led the way last season, it’s new assistant coaches for the Tide this year. As such, a more experienced roster seemed helpful. So Oats worked his magic on the recruiting trail. This winter, he will lean heavily on one of the nation’s richest hauls of experienced transfers to keep the Tide riding high.
Mark Sears was himself a transfer from Ohio heading into last season, following a breakout All-MAC performance in his second season. The Muscle Shoals, Alabama, native may have been born too late to hear Hour Glass get their start or Duane Allman cut his teeth as a session musician at FAME Studios, but as soon as he saw a chance to return and play for his home-state school, Sears leapt. It turned out that he fit very nicely into the Tide’s lineup, and now he’s back as a twice-proven star to help lead the way. Sears led Alabama in steals, finished second on the team in minutes played, scoring, made three’s and freebies, was third in assists and ranked fourth in rebounds. About the worst thing you could say for him last season was that his jumper was streaky. Especially down the stretch, he hit some snags; over Alabama’s final seven games, Sears made just 7-of-38 (18.4%) from deep. There were times, though, when Sears lit it up and opposing defenses didn’t have enough players to defend the perimeter from Bama’s all-out barrage of three point shots. With 253 of the 366 (6th-best nationally) triples the team made last season having departed from Alabama’s roster, the deep threat which Sears provides will be that much more vital. After trying out at the NBA’s PreDraft camps, Sears decided to return and prove that he’s up to the challenge.
“We’re super excited about Sears coming back,” Oats told reporters at the SEC Spring Meetings. “Sears is one of the best guards in the SEC. He was all-conference last year. Getting him back is huge. He was a big part of what we did last year and he will be a big part of what we do this year.” With his ability to attack the rim, Sears can drive the offense inside or out, and will find the open man with snappy passes along the way. He’s proven terrific at getting to the foul line over the years, balancing out his dangerous jumper with a willingness to take it straight at the biggest dudes on the court – and Sears is an 87% career foul shooter. He’s not big, but Sears is an effective and opportunistic defender who does good work turning defense into quick baskets for his guys. If Sears can show more pure point skills this year, it will help both the Tide as a unit and also his own professional prospects.
Joining forces with Sears this year will be two new arrivals, who just happen to be a pair of the more talented and accomplished guards to be found anywhere in the country. All-Big West pick Latrell Wrightsell Jr is a bit larger than Sears, and has similar shot-creation ability all over the court. Wrightsell, whose father started 42 games for Creighton across his four years in the early 1990’s, wasn’t an immediate star upon arriving in college. Over his first two seasons at Cal State-Fullerton, Wrightsell averaged 7.3 points, 2.5 boards, 1.8 helpers and a steal, earning the trust of coach Dedrique Taylor and starting 28 games behind a veteran core. His coach knew that there was so much more potential for Wrightsell to reach. “We liked Latrell because he is a high-character kid with talent and DNA basketball in him,” said Taylor of his former star. “Latrell can play both guard positions. He can pass, has unbelievable vision and is a good decision-maker.”
In his third year, the young guard from Omaha got his chance. When Taylor’s top six scorers departed following a Big West Tournament title two years ago, it became Wrightsell’s time to shine, and so he erupted last winter. In a league full of high scorers, Wrightsell ranked fifth in scoring average, third in made triples, and sixth in total points produced per game – and stole the third-most possessions from Fullerton’s opponents, for good measure. While Wrightsell doesn’t drive the lane quite as aggressively as Sears, he’s a terrific shooter. Not only did he hit from downtown at a 38% rate, he’s a 44% career shooter from mid-range. Wrightsell has the fluid moves and tenacity to work around screens, and each year, he’s become more comfortable both handling the ball and shooting off the bounce. He didn’t shoot well near the hoop last year, though, and is hoping that the summer spent training with Alabama’s staff will play off in more easy buckets this year. And with more playmakers around him this year, Wrightsell should prove very dangerous catching, launching, and stretching opposing defenses out to beyond 25 feet.
“Next thing I know I went on Twitter, and they started calling me Mr. Mid-Range”
– Aaron Estrada
Estrada, the two-time defending Colonial Athletic Conference Player of the Year, has had quite the career already, and now he’s looking to show his stuff on the biggest stage yet. After starting his career at Saint Peter’s and winning Metro Atlantic Rookie of the Year before it was cool to play for Saint Peter’s, Estrada went West, where he barely played after joining the Oregon Ducks. Once he headed to Hofstra, though, Estrada really took off. He averaged 19.3 points, 5.6 boards and 4.6 assists across his two seasons with the Pride, and led Hofstra to a CAA regular season crown last winter.
With a full offensive repertoire, Estrada didn’t just score from all over last season; he scored from everywhere highly efficiently. Per Bart Torvik, Estrada cashed in 62% of his shots around the rim, 49% on all other 2FG attempts, and 37% of his triples – and Estrada attempted 134 or more shots from all three levels. Oh, and he’s an 87% career free throw shooter. Estrada became especially effective for his silky mid-range game while at Hofstra, and the college basketball world took note. “Last year, I was getting to [the mid-range shot] more often just because nobody knew what I was really capable of,” Estrada told SB Nation’s Mid-Major Madness. “So it was kind of like a layup for me, at least that’s what it was getting to. Next thing I know I went on Twitter, and they started calling me Mr. Mid-Range.” Since Mr. Mid-Range has now taken his talents to Tuscaloosa, Oats can’t wait to pair him up with Sears and Wrightsell.
The transfer haul which Santa Oats is welcoming to Bama doesn’t end in the backcourt. Former North Dakota State forward Grant Nelson tested out the NBA waters this summer, also, and when he decided to spend another year honing his game at the college level, Alabama was just proper chuffed to offer him a new home. A tremendously productive big with great length, advanced perimeter skills and outstanding scoring instincts, Nelson should fit right in as the team’s new go-to option up front. “Having to play against him, he’s got a good feel,” North Dakota coach Paul Sather told 247 Sports. “He’s hard to double because of where he gets catches. As he stretches the floor more, his best basketball is not just in the next couple of years, I think he can develop so much in the next four or five years and continue to improve and get better…He’s a competitor. He’s got a good head on his shoulders and I think (North Dakota State has) done a really good job preparing him to be a guy who plays at a really high level.”
While not a freakish athlete, Nelson is very mobile, highly coordinated as a post player, and has the smarts to be patient when he must be – especially around the rim. Though the form on his jumper is not a perfect portrait just yet, Nelson has wonderful touch around the basket, and his footwork has become excellent as well. And when he’s got a matchup he likes, Nelson will drive straight through both opponent and lane to flush the ball. He made an excellent 116 shots around the hoop last year, per Bart Torvik, shooting 70% there in the process; and with his length and silky hook shot, made 47% on all other shots inside the arc. Nelson can step out to the perimeter, but his shooting motion is slightly cumbersome. With his great size and vision, Nelson is a highly effective passer whether out of the post or on the wing, and with more talented teammates around him than ever before, should show off his playmaking skills regularly. Though he’s an effective rim protector, Nelson is not an outstanding defender, and his athletic limitations can be exposed by stronger or quicker bigs. With his added strength and experience over the summer, both in Tuscaloosa and at PreDraft training camps, Nelson is hoping to show real defensive strides this fall in preparation for SEC play. If he can, the once-gangly youngster from the Great Plains will find himself playing a major role for the Tide – and into a nice selection spot for next year’s NBA Draft.
There are only two more players back, along with Sears, from last year’s rotation. Oats is hoping that Nick Pringle can help ease the pressure on Nelson up front, and if Pringle can shore up his own defense a bit, he may emerge as a key factor in his own right. There are few players in the land who are more effective playing the dunker’s spot than Pringle; 27 of his 50 made field goals last year were throwdowns, and he shot a preposterous 85% from the field – for the season. The former Wofford and junior college big man has plenty of bounce in his game, and has a handy habit of putting back offensive boards (more than a fifth of his buckets came off of friendly misses) when he’s not finishing lobs. On a per-minute basis last year, Pringle was the team’s top rebounder and third-leading scorer; but he would have committed more than eight fouls per 40 minutes, and thus was generally only effective in small bursts. A good rim protector who has the mobility and athleticism to defend efficiently, Pringle has to show more presence and technique when guarding in the post this year. If he can reliably do so, Pringle should be granted license to print up plenty of posters this winter.
Rylan Griffen is also back from last year’s team, and the former Top 50 recruit is looking to step up and splash plenty of triples as a sophomore. Griffen arrived on campus with a reputation as an incredibly talented scorer who didn’t always play every minute with the same amount of effort. He had to earn his minutes as a freshman last year, and carved out an average of almost 16 minutes off the bench, providing scoring when the stars needed a breather. He didn’t always take the shot Oats may have wanted, but Griffen can heat up in a hurry. Almost 70% of his shots came from distance last year, but Griffen is also a live wire who can get into the lane and leave the defense in his wake on the way to the rim. “Freshman year, I had to get used to it, but I feel like I’m used to it now and I can contribute a little bit more to the team after settling in with shooting,” Griffen told 247 Sports. “I feel like I can contribute that to the team. I’m getting a lot more comfortable.” With so much production gone on the perimeter, Oats would love to see even more of those scoring skills – and to see Griffen display more of his excellent quick-twitch agility and explosiveness on the other side of the ball, as well.
Bob Huggins made some less-than-favorable headlines of his own this summer, which helped to bring Mohamed Wague down South to join the Bama frontcourt. A New York City-born big man who grew up in his parents’ native Mali, Wague’s earlier years were spent playing soccer more than hoops. In fact, he only began playing organized basketball in 2017, and has leveled up quickly since. After a redshirt season three years ago, Wague kicked off his JuCo career by being named to the All-American team as a freshman, and Wague moved up to the Big 12. Last season, he posted fairly similar per-minute statistics to those of Pringle; though Wague settled for a ho-hum 11 dunks and 74% mark from the field. Like Pringle, Wague is bouncy, long and lean, and can be a real presence on the glass – Wague led the junior college ranks in offensive rebounding during his All-American year. Oats will need Wague to aid a frontcourt that’s lost lots of its rim protection from a year ago – once he’s fully recovered from a foot injury which has kept him out of full contact practice for much of fall camp.
| Five Stats Which Tell The Tale (with national ranks) |
| 76.2 – Possessions Per Game (6th) |
| 44.2% – Team Shooting Percentage (176th) |
| 44.6 – Total Rebounds Per Game (1st) |
| 21.1 – Opponent FT Attempts Per Game (312th) |
| 41.3% – Opponent Effective FG Percentage (1st) |
Depth in the paint had seemed rather thin for Oats through the spring, but now that Wague and another talented youngster have arrived, Bama is looking much better off around the basket. Jarrin Stevenson is a Top 25 prospect from the class of 2024 who reclassified in order to get started on his Alabama career this season, and he’s a long, wiry post player who can also really shoot the ball. He can get end-to-end like a guard, and handles the ball confidently. He can become a bit too perimeter-focused, but Stevenson’s habits can be corrected more easily than most blemishes. And since he’s signed on early to work with Bama’s training staff, Stevenson’s progression should only accelerate as he adds strength and learns from every practice against his older teammates. “I knew I was ready,” Stevenson told reporters this fall. “I’ve been working hard. I just wanted to make a big impact on the season. Just getting on the college scene will better prepare me for my future and just get me ready as the year goes on.”
Redshirt freshman Davin Cosby will give Griffen a run for his money as an outside threat off the bench this year. A multidimensional deep threat with good size, Oats was excited to add Cosby to last year’s class, saying of Cosby “With shooting at a premium in our program we are trying to go recruit the best shooters in the country and we feel that he is one of the best shooting guards in the country.” Cosby, who reclassified and joined the Tide to begin practicing with his new teammates, will put the experience to use. The focus Oats has displayed in assembling his roster is clear to see; there are taller and longer-than-average shooters all over the lineup, and Cosby adds to that stockpile. He’s got great fluidity and confidence catching and letting fly on the wing, and should both push for minutes and push the talented youngsters around him. And, if Cosby happened to become a bit more of a playmaker during his year off, Oats would appreciate the versatility to use him as a secondary initiator.
| Five Out-of-Conference Games to Keep an Eye on |
| N – Purdue – December 9 |
| @ Creighton – December 16 |
| N – Arizona – December 20 |
| N – Oregon / Santa Clara – November 25 |
| vs Clemson – November 28 |
Kris Parker signed later than a couple of Alabama’s forward prospects, but the wiry wing player offers great physical tools to develop. While not a huge scorer, Parker has the athleticism and versatility to guard multiple positions and can even create for his teammates. His best production has come in bursts and blips, but as Parker gets stronger, he should provide even more skill at size for Oats to chuck at his SEC foes. There is also freshman forward Mouhamed Dioubate, who Oats sees as the type of versatile player who can really succeed in his system. “We are really excited to get Mo in our program, he is a multi-talented player who can play a variety of positions. He is a big wing that is extremely versatile and tenacious on the defensive side of the ball and most importantly has won at a high level,” Oats said after Dioubate signed. Like Wague, Dioubate has been nursing an injury, but should be able to play early this season. With the Tide replacing so much of their frontcourt production, Dioubate’s ability to guard inside and on the wing should help Oats to blend his lineups.
Sam Walters is a highly-rated scoring forward who was viewed as being maybe a year of strength training away from making a big impact for the Tide. That was, until he played in a couple of ‘secret scrimmage’ games this fall and seemingly could not miss from the land of trey. That has been the main calling card of his prep career: Walters can flat-out shoot the rock. Not a wide-body in the lane or guard-quick, Walters will look to add strength and additional savvy to his game in anticipation of playing as a stretch forward. For now, Walters is still spindly, and has struggled with turnovers in those same games – but a guy who can come in cold and rip off some triples is a valuable player to have. If he makes shots, Oats will find a way to get Walters minutes.
Alabama played a fun style of basketball last year, and that should continue. The Tide ranked third in the country in Evan Miya’s True Tempo Stat, and despite losing so much production, Bama has talented scorers coming in – and some who were held in reserve. This year, they will all get to show their skills. Oats likes his guys to get to the rim, or make triples; and his ‘No mid-range’ attack sure has worked out. Now, with Estrada coming in to balance out the Tide attack – if his coach will let him – Alabama will give a different look as it goes about its business this winter.
“We got to be great defensively. We’ve done it two different ways. Three years ago we didn’t really have an anchor like that, but we had Herb Jones, who was covering a lot of mistakes. Last year Charles covered a lot of mistakes. Put him at the rim, protected the rim well ” Oats said at SEC Media Days. “We don’t have a Herb Jones and we don’t have a Charles Bediako.” Oats will be expecting Pringle, Wague, and a coalition of improved players to continue Bama’s run of Top-5 defensive efficiency seasons. If the post gets sorted out, the Tide are looking strong everywhere else.
“I don’t know if we’ve got anybody that’s going to go number two in the draft this year. It probably will be more by committee,” Oats told reporters this fall. “We’ve got really good options. Aaron Estrada has proved himself at the college level, at a high level. He’s going to definitely have the ball in his hand a lot. Grant Nelson is a big-time player that should be playing in the NBA after this year. You can go to him. Mark Sears is our second leading scorer last year on the No. 1 team in the country. Between those three guys you got great options. Then you have some other guys, guys that have played big in big games.” It’s likely that, playing for the Tide this year, they’ll get plenty more chances to play in big games.
Leave a Reply