Bama Central

Alabama to Host 4-Star SF Qayden Samuels for Official Visit

Nate Oats and the Crimson Tide basketball staff locked in a visit with one of the top ranked players at his position in the 2026 class.
Mason Woods|
4-Star 2026 SF Qayden Samuels
4-Star 2026 SF Qayden Samuels | Credit @young_giftedphotographer on Instagram

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Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama men's basketball has been extremely active on the recruiting trail throughout the summer and early part of the fall, lining up visitors and extending offers to talented prospects from the 2026 class.

The Crimson Tide has already landed two elite players in the class, 4-Stars Christopher Washington, Jr. and Tarris Bouie, and now is set to welcome another 4-Star prospect for an official visit, small forward Qayden Samuels from Bishop McNamara High School in District Heights, Maryland.

The 6-foot-6, 200 lb. prospect will be in town for Alabama football's home showdown with Vanderbilt on Saturday, October 4, according to Dushawn London of 247Sports.

Samuels is a electrifying scorer with the ability to both drive to the basket and shoot from beyond the arc effectively. Across his 20 game stint in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL), the lengthy wing averaged 20.4 points on over 42 percent shooting from the field.

He also was able to grab over nine rebounds per game, and was even involved as a facilitator as well with just under two assists per contest. While he may need to develop a bit on the defensive end, he has shown flashes of the athleticism and strength needed to hold up to an SEC schedule.

While the Crimson Tide does already hold commitments from two other wing players, Samuels looks to possess the type of versatility that Oats and the Alabama staff are looking for. He currently holds offers from the likes of Florida State, North Carolina, UCONN and many more, but Tuscaloosa is the only visit he has lined up at this point.

Alabama Basketball Visitors

September 5

  • 4-Star CG Ikenna Alozie, 6-foot-2, 185 lbs. - Dream City Christian School (Glendale, Arizona)

September 12-13

  • 5-Star SF Caleb Holt, 6-foot-5, 200 lbs. - Prolific Prep (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) - originally from Huntsville, Alabama
  • 5-Star PG Dylan Mingo, 6-foot-5, 190 lbs. - Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, New York)
  • 4-Star SF Jaxon Richardson, 6-foot-6, 200 lbs. - Columbus High School (Miami, Florida)

September 16-19

  • 4-Star SF Cole Cloer, 6-foot-7, 190 lbs. - IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida)
  • 4-Star PF Darius Ratliff, 6-foot-11, 190 lbs. - Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, New York)
  • 4-Star PF Adonis Ratliff, 6-foot-11, 190 lbs. - Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, New York)

October 4

  • 4-Star SF Qayden Samuels, 6-foot-6, 200 lbs. - Bishop McNamara High School (District Heights, Maryland)

October 18

  • 4-Star SF Colben Landrew, 6-foot-6, 205 lbs. - Wheeler High School (Marietta, Georgia)

2026 Alabama Basketball Commits

  1. 4-Star SF Chris Washington, Jr., 6-foot-9, 195 lbs. - Murfreesboro, Tennessee (Committed 09/08/2025)
  2. 4-Star SF Tarris Bouie, 6-foot-6, 170 lbs. - Geneva, Ohio (Committed 09/10/2025)

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Mason Woods
MASON WOODS

Mason Woods is the lead recruiting writer for Alabama Crimson Tide On SI/BamaCentral, Vanderbilt Commodores on SI, Boston College Eagles on SI and Missouri Tigers on SI. The Alabama graduate has worked in sports media since 2020, beginning his career in radio production with Tide 100.9 FM in Tuscaloosa. Woods has produced a multitude of live programs and has even hosted his own shows as well. He’s regularly part of “The Joe Gaither Show” on weekdays and serves as host of the “All Things Bama Podcast.”

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