Nate Oats Talks Summer Basketball, NCAA Tournament Expansion

The Alabama head coach spoke on two hot-button issues in college basketball at SEC Media Days.

MOUNTAIN BROOK, Ala. — SEC Media Days are a time where coaches are asked about many of the issues surrounding the state of college basketball.

At SEC Tipoff '23, many SEC basketball coaches were asked about their opinions on NIL and the transfer portal, but additionally two newer issues that have also come to light in recent months: the playing of mor exhibition games in the summer and the expansion of the NCAA Basketball Tournament. 

"Summer basketball would be great to be honest with you," Oats said. "[The NCAA] lets us work our guys out in the summer and I can't think of a Division-I program that doesn't have their guys on campus in the summer. If we're going to have them on campus all summer, I don't see why we couldn't play."

Alabama recently took a trip to Europe to play exhibition games against international teams, but the NCAA only allows those trips every four years.

Oats referenced other sports as well when discussing the possibilities of summer basketball.

"Softball has fall softball, baseball has fall baseball. Volleyball has games when it's not their season," Oats said, "It's not like it's new for an NCAA sport to allow games when it's not in their competition season."

Oats also referenced the lack of sports broadcasted on live television when these games would take place.

"There's a huge void of sports of T.V. in August," Oats said. "There's no NFL yet, college football isn't going, NBA isn't going, Major League Baseball hasn't started their playoffs yet."

Oats had less of an adamant opinion when it came to discussing expanding the NCAA Tournament field. Missouri head coach Dennis Gates made a comment earlier in the day about wanting the field go be doubled, but while Oats acknowledged that there is an expanding number of Division-I teams, he neglected to give a sure stance on expansion. 

"I'll let that be decided by some other people." Oats said.

See Also:

• Brandon Miller, Jahvon Quinerly Named Preseason Second-Team All-SEC; Alabama Predicted Fifth in Conference

• Alabama Women's Basketball Using Off-The-Court Bonding to Breed On-The-Court Success

• Brittany Davis Named Preseason All-SEC; Alabama Women's Basketball Picked 10th in Conference

• Alabama Basketball Ranked in Preseason AP Top 25

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2022 SEC Basketball Media Days

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