Season Preview: Ball and Oats Era Promises to Be Anything but Boring

With a new coach and a new attitude, Crimson Tide men's basketball set to go under Nate Oats

They went almost three full hours on the first official day of fall camp. That’s longer than a game, but Nate Oats is big on setting the proper tone.

He did so when first arriving after being hired as Alabama’s new men’s basketball coach in late March, and with the first offseason on-court workouts. But those were just a taste of what was to follow, and enough to leave the players gassed.

“I told our administrative assistant, ‘Can we eliminate all the extra meetings now that practice is here? Just get down to coaching basketball?’” Oats said after the Crimson Tide reported. “That’s where I’m most comfortable, in my element.”

Welcome to a new kind of basketball at Alabama, which promises to be anything but boring. Even during the spring and summer, when the opening tip to the 2019-20 season was still months away, there was a buzz around the program and the 21 head coach in Crimson Tide basketball's 106-year history.

On Tuesday it begins in earnest when Alabama hosts Penn at Coleman Coliseum (7 p.m., SEC Network).

Oats arrived from Buffalo, where he was twice named the Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year and led his team to the NCAA Tournament three times. Over four seasons the Bulls went 96-43 and won three MAC titles.

Last season, Buffalo finished 32–4, 16–2 in conference play and was ranked as high as No. 14 in the AP Top 25. It was the highest ranking by any MAC team over the past 40 years.

While that alone has the Alabama fan base excited, the style of play does even more. Anyone who watched Oats’ Buffalo teams saw a high-energy group that tried to run opponents out of the gym.

“Tempo,” junior guard Herb Jones said is the biggest difference. “It’s a lot faster.

“It’s fun.”

Although the coaching staff and playing style have changed, the core of the Crimson Tide lineup has not – at least not dramatically.

New basketball coach Nate Oats is doing everything he can to quickly adapt to Alabama.

Alabama Athletics

Three starters, all in the backcourt, and seven lettermen returned from the 2018-19 team that finished 18-16 overall, 8-10 in SEC play.

Among them are guards Kira Lewis Jr., John Petty Jr. and Jones.

Despite being a freshman, Lewis topped everyone in scoring by averaging 13.5 points, and also had the most assists (2.9), minutes (31.6), field goals made (157) and attempted (363), and free-throw percentage (.783).

Petty also averaged double digits in scoring, 10.2, while leading the Crimson Tide in 3-point baskets made (59) and attempted (171). He was second in rebounding (4.2) and third in scoring.

Jones notched the most charges taken (17) and steals (32), and was second in blocked shots (20). He averaged just 6.4 points, but over the summer seemed to be taking to Oats’ offensive style well.

So did two other key returnees, junior forwards Alex Reese and Galin Smith.

Reese averaged 6.3 points and 2.5 rebounds, while his 37.5 percent shooting from 3-point range topped Alabama. Smith averaged 3.8 points and 2.2 rebounds, but will be counted on to step up following the departure of Donta Hall.

“I think everyone’s excited,” Reese said, who has been more comfortable at the perimeter in the more open offense.

The thing is, and what will be largely forgotten after the season begins, is that Oats essentially had to re-recruit everyone after arriving, and quickly. The only promise he made was that they would work hard and win games through that effort. Not everyone did return, but for everyone else it was a message the players wanted and needed to hear.

“The first workout, I’m not going to lie, was tough,” Petty said. “Everyone was winded. It was like a few days after he got the job, we did a workout, and it was new to everyone. We didn’t really how fast he wanted us to play until we started working out with him.

“But I think everyone’s adjusted well.”

Subsequently, the early indications were all positive.

For example, Oats regularly runs a drill he calls the NBA 100, which is shooting the corresponding number of 3-pointers.The first time he went through it, Jones, who really struggled with his shooting last season and was just 6-for-21 (.286) from beyond the arc, scored 44. The next time he hit 59.

With that alone, his confidence was on the rise.

“It’s a huge goal,” he said.

Forward Javian Davis, who redshirted the 2018-19 season, also hit the gym and started getting his weight down.

“To be honest, when we first got here, I wasn’t sure he was going to make it,” Oats said. “He was out of shape and I didn’t know if he would make it through the first few practices but he has really done a 180. He’s lost a lot of weight and he works. He’s a gym rat, one of the biggest gym rats on our team, and I like that. Plus he can shoot it a little bit.”

Oats was referring to his outside shot, another indicator to the kind of diverse offense the Crimson Tide wants to execute this season. But he also covets having a hard-hat mentality and paying more attention to details with things like free-throws.

Meanwhile, Alabama added seven names to the roster, although some won’t be making an immediate contribution.

Two forwards, junior-college transfer James Rojas and freshman Juwan Gary, suffered torn ACLs requiring season-ending knee surgery. Both will redshirt.

The eligibility status of Villanova transfer Jahvon Quinerly was also remains in doubt. The sophomore guard, who was a former consensus 5-star prospect and McDonald’s All-American, applied for a waiver to avoid having to sit during the 2019-20 season, which was initially turned down, but Alabama is still hopeful of a favorable ruling on appeal. 

The other additions were guards Jaylen Forbes and Jaden Shackelford, along with forward Raymond Hawkins, and plus graduate transfer James "Beetle" Bolden, a shooting guard from West Virginia.

During Alabama's charity exhibition game against Georgia Tech, Shackelford had 21 points, including six 3-pointers, three steals, a block and a plus/minus of 18. 

“Forbes plays with a chip on his shoulder,” Oates rattled off. “Shackelford has a college-ready body. Jahvon has a chance to be an elite-level defender. Ray was a little out of shape and is still working to get himself in shape. Has a lot of upside, though.

“They’ve responded well.”