2022 Record: 31-6 (16-2)
Head Coach: Nate Oats (Career Record 188-84) (Alabama Record 92-41)
Projected Rotation:
PG: Mark Sears (12.5 Pts, 3.5 Reb, 2.6 Ast)
SG: Aaron Estrada (Hofstra 20.2 Pts, 5.5 Reb, 4.3 Ast)
SF: Rylan Griffen (5.9 Pts, 2.6 Reb, 0.7 Ast)
PF: Jarin Stevenson
C: Grant Nelson (North Dakota State 17.9 Pts, 9.3 Reb, 2.1 Ast)
6: SG Latrell Wrightsell Jr (Cal State Fullerton 16.3 Pts, 4.5 Reb, 2.4 Ast)
7: PF Nick Pringle (3.5 Pts, 3.1 Reb, 0.2 Ast)
8: C Mohamed Wague (West Virginia 4.1 Pts, 3.1 Reb, 0.3 Ast)
9: SG Davin Cosby (RS)
10: PF Sam Walters
11: SF Kris Parker
12: PF Mouhamed Dioubate
Alabama has to replace 9 players they lost this past offseason and it will be very tough for them to replicate the season they had last year. They still made some solid additions and will be a competitive team this year. Alabama returns starting PG Mark Sears from last years team. Sears started all 37 games shooting 41% from the floor and 36% from three. He also has great range and thrives in the Alabama system on offense. Sears is an improving player on the defensive end who really showed out on that side of the ball this past season. Rylan Griffen is expected to take a huge step and should be in the starting lineup this upcoming season. In a reserve role last season, Griffen showed tremendous promise. Nick Pringle also returns to the Crimson Tide next season. He played in 36 games off the bench in an average of 8 minutes per game. He shot and eye-opening 85% from the floor on 50-59 shooting. SG Davin Cosby who redshirted last season returns as well. He was ranked as the #101 prospect in the 2022 class.
Alabama signed transfers Latrell Wrightsell Jr from Cal State Fullerton and Mohamed Wague from West Virginia this offseason. Wague will provide some depth at the center position behind both Nelson and Pringle. Wague played in a reserve role this past season with West Virginia. He was very efficient on the interior shooting 74% from the field overall. Latrell Wrightsell should provide a scoring spark off the bench for the Tide this season. The Cal State Fullerton product showcased that he could be be a high volume scorer. He shot 42% from the floor overall and 38% from three while averaging just over 16PPG. There’s a chance he starts, but with some of the other additions the Crimson Tide made it’s more likely Wrightsell is in a 6th man role.
The two biggest portal additions the Crimson Tide made this past offseason were Grant Nelson from North Dakota State and Aaron Estrada from Hofstra. Estrada will be a high volume scorer for the Tide this season as they search for someone who can fill in for the lost production from last seasons team. Estrada also proved to be a solid rebounder and passer in addition to an elite scorer. Estrada also previously played for St. Peter’s and Oregon. There is a high chance that Estrada is the Tide’s leading scorer this season. Grant Nelson is described by everyone as a unicorn. He’s a truly unique player who can do it all on the court. At 6-11 he’s a guy that can dribble, shoot, and pass at a high level. He will have a lesser role than he had during his NDSU days, but he will still be an elite player with the Crimson Tide next season. Nelson has a high chance of being drafted next season.
Alabama also signed 4 freshman as part of the 2023 class. The class is headlined by PF Jarin Stevenson from North Carolina. He is a top 50 recruit and has a chance to start for the Tide this upcoming season. PF Sam Walters from Florida is ranked as the #86 player in the class. He also has a chance to get a lot of rotational minutes. Kris Parker also from Florida is ranked as the #99 player in the class Mouhamed Dioubate is ranked as the #106 player in the class. Most of the freshman for the Tide this season have a chance to see high level rotational minutes.
It will be very tough for Alabama to come close to replicate the type of season they had last year. They had to replace a lot and have a mostly new team this season. Alabama should still be in the 4th-6th range in the conference. The Tide will still easily make the tournament and still have a chance to make some noise. It might take a bit of time for the chemistry to match but this Nate Oats led Alabama team should be just fine.