The Extra Point: Potential Holes Alabama Basketball Will Need to Fill in the Offseason
The offseason is less than two weeks old for the Alabama men's basketball team, yet there has already been some massive changes within the program.
Since losing to San Diego State in the Sweet 16, the Crimson Tide have seen several players and coaches decide to move on from Tuscaloosa.
Star freshmen Brandon Miller and Noah Clowney have declared for the NBA Draft, while Charles Bediako and Jahvon Quinerly have entered their names in the NBA Draft process while still maintaining their college eligibility.
Alabama has also lost several members of their team to other colleges. Nimari Burnett, a key rotation player this last season, announced he will be transferring to Michigan. Bryan Hodgson and Charlie Henry, two critical pieces of Nate Oats's coaching staff, have also left to take the head coaching gig at Arkansas State and Georgia Southern, respectively.
The players and coaches mentioned above were all big parts of one of the most successful teams in Alabama's history this season meaning there's much that will need to be replaced before next season. Luckily, there's still plenty of time for Nate Oats to figure out the next steps for the Crimson Tide.
Let's take a look at several potential holes that Alabama needs to fill this offseason:
1. Wing Scoring
After arguably the best freshman season ever in a Crimson Tide uniform, Brandon Miller is off to the NBA. Nimari Burnett announced he will be transferring and play for Michigan next season.
While there's a good chance that Alabama will have several returnees at the guard spot, the Crimson Tide's wing players from last season will mostly be gone. That means finding wing players should be one Nate Oats's top priorities this offseason and he's already started with the addition of Wichita State transfer Jaykwon Walton.
The 6-foot-7, 206-pound wing led the Shockers in scoring last season averaging 13.9 points a game. Walton is long and athletic and profiles as a good fit alongside smaller guards like Mark Sears and Rylan Griffen.
Incoming freshmen Davin Cosby and Kris Parker could also be key additions to the wing spot and could see important minutes next season if they're able to gain the trust of the coaching staff.
Look for Alabama to continue to try and find wings with length and athleticism that have both offensive and defensive versatility whether that be through the transfer portal or the incoming recruiting class.
2. Rim Presence
One of the things that made Alabama basketball so formidable this season was their dominance on the inside, using their length and athleticism to swallow up rebounds and cause opposing teams trouble at the rim on both sides of the ball.
However, Noah Clowney followed Brandon Miller to the NBA, and Charles Bediako announced he will be testing the NBA Draft waters meaning Alabama could be thin on inside presences.
If Bediako decides to stay in the draft, Nick Pringle will need to step up big next season for Alabama. He showed flashes of potential coming off the bench at times but will need to become more consistent if he wants to be effective on the inside.
This is one position the Crimson Tide could also aggressively pursue in the transfer portal. With big-time centers like Hunter Dickinson and Kel'el Ware entering the portal, Alabama has some potential options to go after.
3. Veteran Leadership
A big difference between this season's team and last season's for Alabama basketball was the improved veteran leadership.
Noah Gurley and Jahvon Quinerly were extremely important players that provided a calm, experienced presence for an otherwise inexperienced team.
With Gurley graduating and Quinerly potentially off to the NBA, which players will step up and be the leaders in the locker room next season?
Nate Oats and his staff will have to find or develop players to take over that role and uphold the standard that the veteran leaders did this season.
Conclusion
Coming off one one of the most successful seasons Alabama basketball has ever had, it will be interesting to see how the Crimson Tide responds with so many members of that team leaving.
The offseason is still young, and there is plenty of time for the program to evaluate its needs and act accordingly before next season begins.
Watch the video at the top of page where Clay Miller and Joey Blackwell discuss Alabama basketball's potential offseason moves.
See Also:
Alabama Forward Noah Clowney to Enter NBA Draft
Alabama Lands Commitment From 2025 OL Mason Short
Missed Opportunities Prove Costly as Alabama Baseball Drops Game, Series at No. 6 Arkansas
