Alabama Basketball Lands Kentucky Big from Transfer Portal

Alabama basketball has landed former Kentucky forward/center Brandon Garrison from the transfer portal, per DraftExpress' Jonathan Givony.

The 6-foot-10, 245-pounder is the first player to transfer to the Crimson Tide this offseason. Garrison will be a senior at Alabama next season after spending the last two years with the Wildcats and his freshman campaign at Oklahoma State.

In 36 games (five starts), Garrison averaged 4.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.5 steals and 0.8 blocks in the 16.3 minutes per game this past season. Garrison will mostly reside in the paint next season, as he's attempted 57 three-pointers (16 makes — 28.1 percent) in 103 career contests.

Garrison was a consensus 4-star recruit in the class of 2023. The Del City High School standout was ranked as the No. 36 prospect nationally, the No. 5 center and the No. 1 player in the state of Oklahoma, per the 247 Sports Composite. The McDonald's All-American and Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year chose Oklahoma State over a plethora of highly touted programs, including Kansas, Houston and Florida.

No Alabama player has officially announced his return for 2026-27 just yet, but should all the remaining players stay, Garrison would be tied for the second-tallest player, next to 6-foot-10 forward Keitenn Bristow and behind 6-foot-11 center Collins Onyejiaka — each of whom missed most of this past season.

One of Alabama's top priorities this offseason is to find a replacement for Aiden Sherrell, who entered the transfer portal. The 6-foot-11 forward started in every game for the Crimson Tide and led the SEC in blocks. Although he's an inch shorter and played far fewer minutes, Garrison automatically becomes a candidate to help fill Sherrell's role.

Some interesting facts about Garrison, per his Kentucky player bio:

Lists an off-the-court talent as riding horses
Likes to eat candy before games
His favorite food is pizza
Kung Fu Panda is his favorite movie
Dunked for the first time at age 13
Would choose to fly as his superpower
Chose No. 10 because it has always been his number
Lists Kevin Durant as his favorite basketball player

The transfer portal opened on April 7, the day after the National Championship, and will close on April 21. BamaCentral is keeping track of the Crimson Tide’s outgoing and incoming players and coaches right here ahead of next season.

For those eyeing the next level, the NCAA’s early entry withdrawal deadline for the 2026 NBA Draft is May 27 at 10:59 p.m. CT.

Alabama Players Who Could Still Return, Transfer or Enter NBA Draft

G Aden Holloway (would be a senior)
G Davion Hannah (would be a sophomore *pending redshirt*)
G Preston Murphy Jr. (would be a senior)
F Amari Allen (would be a sophomore)
F London Jemison (would be a sophomore)
F Keitenn Bristow (would be a junior *pending redshirt*)
C Collins Onyejiaka (would be a sophomore *pending redshirt*)

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