Alabama Forward Derrion Reid to be Week-to-Week, Out for Mississippi State Game

The talented Crimson Tide freshman is progressing but will not play Tuesday.

Dec 14, 2024; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama forward Derrion Reid (35) gets a breakaway dunk with Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) too far behind to defend the dunk at Coleman Coliseum. Alabama defeated Creighton 83-75. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Alabama basketball freshman Derrion Reid's return from his hamstring injury will have to wait at least one more game.

The talented forward has missed the past three games and played in six of the No. 6 Crimson Tide's 14 SEC contests. Head coach Nate Oats said Reid was recently evaluated in Birmingham by Dr. Lyle Cain and will not play in Tuesday night's ranked matchup against No. 24 Mississippi State.

"He's improving, progressing, getting better," Oats said Monday. "He'll be evaluated week-to-week. Not gonna go tomorrow. He's out, but they thought he looked good, so he's coming along."

Reid's last game action was on Feb. 15 against Auburn. He played five minutes with four points (all at the charity stripe) in Alabama's 94-85 loss. Previously, he'd appeared in the Feb. 1 tilt opposite Georgia. He logged a more substantial 12 minutes that afternoon.

Oats has repeated that Reid's long-term health is the priority with regard to managing his recovery. The freshman has played quality basketball on both ends of the floor when healthy and could play a factor in the NCAA Tournament if he's back to full strength by that time.

He averages 7.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game, scoring in double figures twice against SEC competition, against Oklahoma and Texas A&M.

The immediate future is an important stretch for the Crimson Tide. After facing the Bulldogs in a rematch of a Jan. 29 game (itself Reid's first since Jan. 11), Alabama (22-5, 11-3 SEC) plays three teams in a row which are currently ranked in the AP Top 10. Two of those games are road matchups.