Alabama Guard Jalil Bethea Flashes Potential in Dominant Win Over UTSA

The offseason Miami transfer addition scored a team-high 21 points in his first game with impactful minutes.

Dec 7, 2025; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama guard Jalil Bethea (1) makes a celebratory gesture after hitting a three pointer against UTSA at Coleman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News | Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — “He’s been out a long time now, so going back to where he was getting to at the end of the summer, going into the fall, he can really shoot. He’s super athletic, so it gives us more depth in the backcourt. Very skilled offensive player."

This was the message Alabama head coach Nate Oats gave when discussing the return of Crimson Tide guard Jalil Bethea on Dec. 2. Bethea missed the first seven games of the season after suffering a foot injury during a practice in mid-September, but he returned and played five minutes during UA's win over Clemson on Wednesday.

After getting his feet wet in an Alabama uniform, Bethea had no limits during Alabama's 97-55 home win over UTSA on Sunday afternoon, and he was everything Oats said in the aforementioned quote. For example, with 3:24 remaining in the first half, UTSA had 14 points and Bethea was up to 16.

Bethea finished the game with a team-high 21 points on 6 of 12 from the field, including 5 of 10 from deep. He also grabbed six rebounds, dished two assists and snagged two steals.

"Jalil's one of the more talented kids we've got," Oats said during the postgame press conference. "We've been trying to get him to really focus on the mental side of things, like playing hard with stakes, focusing on what he needs to do, whether shots go in or don't go in. So it's good to see him come out, shoot it well, play well.

"You know, it wasn't just the 21 points. He had six rebounds, didn't turn it over, so he made good decisions that way without turning it over. He was 100 percent from the free-throw line. He's made some big strides since he walked on campus. Really happy to see him healthy, playing well. And when everybody's healthy, you know, it's going to be hard to divvy up minutes."

The former Miami guard averaged 7.1 points on 36.8 percent from the field and 32.6 percent from deep, with 2.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.6 steals before transferring to Alabama this offseason. He scored 21 points one time with the Hurricanes, and in his first game with impactful minutes with the Crimson Tide, he did it again.

"All the hard work I put in over the time that I've been out just came to me today. I was very comfortable and calm and I'm very much healthy.

As Bethea continues to develop this season, he's among a group of guards with expectations to be one of the best backcourt rooms in the country. Two-time SEC Player of the Week Labaron Philon Jr. leads the Alabama guards with over 20 points per game this season, but Bethea enjoys meshing with Philon, Aden Holloway, Latrell Wrightsell Jr., Houston Mallette and freshman Davion Hannah.

"I feel like it's going to bring me back to the childhood days. In the playground, just doing what we want. We all have a great relationship and we feel like we've known each other our whole life."

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