Alabama Basketball Newcomer Breakdown: Sam Walters
This is the fourth in a multi-part series where BamaCentral's Blake Byler will crunch the numbers and break down the film to give you everything you need to know about each of Alabama basketball's newcomers.
When you think of qualities that head coach Nate Oats would want in a player for his system, two primary things come to mind.
Length and shooting.
When you look at freshman forward Sam Walters, he's got both.
Walters was the first player to commit to Alabama as a part of its top-15-ranked 2023 recruiting class, announcing his commitment last summer fresh off an official visit. Back then, Walters was rated outside the top-100 by all recruiting services.
As a senior for The Villages Charter School in his hometown of The Villages, Fla. last season, Walters posted averages of 23 points, 10 rebounds, and just under 2.5 assists per game.
Fast forward to today, Walters has shot up boards and now sits as a consensus 4-star and top-60 prospect. Part of the reason for the rise of the Florida native's stock has been the display of his intriguing skillset to go along with his 6-foot-8 frame.
He was described by Oats as an "elite shooter," when discussing his 2023 class, and the film backs it up. The following clips show Walters' 3-point shooting ability both off the catch and off the dribble.
Walters' teammate comes up with a steal in the first clip, and he finds Walters spotted up on the left wing ready to shoot, which he does in rhythm and effortlessly.
In the second clip, Walters takes a dribble handoff and brings the ball up near the top of the key. Now in an isolation situation, the lefty crosses over to his right and cleanly steps into a shot without hesitation, and isn't bothered by the hand in his face.
The confidence Walters shoots with makes him an immediate commodity in Oats' system that revolves around the layup and the 3-point shot. If Walters is able to keep shooting with the same kind of confidence once he gets to the college level, it's going to be hard to keep him off the floor for his outside threat alone.
His shooting ability isn't the only thing he has going for him, though. Walters is an explosive athlete, with a vertical that has increased to over 38 inches this summer according to strength coach Henry Barrera.
In the first play above, Walters exhibits his straight line speed and leaping ability off a missed shot that turns into an easy runout slam in transition on the other end.
Oats loves to open the door for transition baskets and push the ball up the floor, so Alabama fans can get used to seeing Walters flying high above the rim with his speed and explosiveness on fast breaks.
In the second clip we see Walters' length become a factor on the defensive end. His long arms allow him to pick the ball handler's pocket, and once again his speed leaves the rest of the court in the dust as he rises up for a thunderous one-handed dunk off the runout.
The length Walters provides is the other attribute that will make it hard to keep him off the court. At the beginning of the offseason, it looked like Walters would have to play more in the frontcourt, but with the additions of Mohamed Wague and Jarin Stevenson, it frees up Walters to be able to play more on the wing in some lineups.
Oats, and all coaches for that matter, love lineups with length because of the disruptions it causes on the defensive end, both on the ball and in passing lanes. We saw Alabama field an elite defense last year off the length of 7-foot Charles Bediako, 6-foot-10 Noah Clowney, and 6-foot-9 Brandon Miller.
It is entirely possible that Walters gets the majority of his minutes as a tall wing that can create mismatches, or as a "4" if Oats wants to run more of a small-ball lineup.
Walters has the tools to be a good defender, such as his rangy frame, athleticism, and leaping ability, but the issue is with his weight. He comes in at just 180 pounds, and will need to put on more muscle to maximize his potential as a defender, especially in the wildly physical SEC.
There's one more wrinkle to Walters' game that makes him an even more dangerous offensive threat: his ability to put the ball on the floor. He isn't a sharpshooter without a handle, and he isn't a player with a long frame that can't control his body.
The next two plays demonstrate Walters' rebounding ability, his ability to push the ball up the floor himself, and his ability to finish at the rim.
Walters is comfortable enough with his handle to not be bothered by some ball pressure. He has a fluid between-the-legs and crossover even at his height, which makes him an even bigger threat on the perimeter, a sentiment shared by Oats.
"Sam [Walters] has a unique skillset of shooting, athleticism and can play on the perimeter and is getting better every time we see him play," Oats said.
The guard-like skillset that Walters brings to the table is one that is not shared by many others of his size, and gives Oats the chance to play around with a wide range of high-powered offensive lineups this season.
It may take some added weight and experience to get fully acclimated to high-major basketball, but Walters is not only going to be hard to keep of the floor in year one, but he's got the potential to be a major contributor in the conference in the future.
"One of his best attributes is his work ethic," Oats said. "He is a gym rat and constantly in the gym, working on his game, and we are excited to see him continue to grow.”
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