The Challenge That Nate Oats Has for Cole Cloer

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Cole Cloer's inexperience has been apparent through the first three games of Alabama's season.

Cloer spent last season with North Carolina State, but redshirted and had not seen any action until this year. The 20-year-old has struggled, shooting 4-for-23 from the field. Eighteen of those attempts have come from beyond the arc, and he's made just two of them.

An easy explanation for Cloer's early struggles would be his health.

"You need the reps to play well," head coach Nate Oats said. "It might be that Cole struggled a little bit because he kind of missed about three weeks there and missed some exhibition games."

Cloer missed Alabama's final exhibition against Auburn with an injury. Every single rep does hold special importance for players trying to get acclimated to Oats' system, especially for the 6-foot-8 Cloer, who is expected to be one of the team's leading rebounders. He did rise to the occasion on the glass for the Crimson Tide in its 109-68 win over Oakland on Monday, leading the team with six boards while sparking a mentality that Oats hopes unlocks more of his game.

"Challenged him in a lot of different things, and I think he's stepping up, answering the bell a little bit," Oats said. "He's preparing himself to play better, you know. Whether it's practice, outside of practice, going to the games, I think he's done that. He seems way more locked in. I've told him to lose himself in the blue collar, gritty, tough stuff."

Cloer's potential is one of the worst-kept secrets in basketball. Numerous draft analysts have already pegged him as a potential first-round NBA Draft pick thanks to his shooting and vision. The shots will inevitably start to fall for Cloer later in the year, but his ability to stay on the court will be dependent on his growth and physicality on the defensive end.

Rebounding is going to be the easiest way for Cloer to prove his worth, as Oats has made his displeasure with the team's performance on the glass clear. For now, attention is simply on Cloer settling in and completing his adjustment to the Crimson Tide as the schedule gets more competitive.

"You focus on playing the game the right way, and that kind of takes care of itself. And he's been playing great," Oats said. "I think he's starting to get back into a pretty good flow here."

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