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Five Potential Frontcourt Targets for Alabama Basketball
Now that the NBA Draft withdrawal deadline has passed, Alabama basketball and head coach Nate Oats have a roster to finish constructing for next season.
Guards Mark Sears and Jahvon Quinerly both announced their decisions to return to the Crimson Tide next year, securing what many believe will be a top backcourt in all of college basketball. But with those decisions came the unexpected hit of center Charles Bediako opting to stay in the draft, leaving a gaping hole in the frontcourt.
Bediako's departure, along with Noah Clowney's NBA Draft declaration a few months ago and the exhausted eligibility of Noah Gurley, leaves only Nick Pringle as a returning body in the frontcourt.
Pringle played well in limited minutes last season, but was never relied on as a defensive anchor like Bediako and only logged double-digit minutes 10 times.
Joining Pringle in the froncourt are a pair of 4-star freshmen in Sam Walters and Mo Dioubate, but pinning starting responsibilities on freshmen is a risky proposition, especially when experience is so valuable in today's era of college basketball.
Since the draft withdrawal deadline, many talented players have entered the transfer portal and a few have been linked with Oats and the Crimson Tide, so let's take a look at some names that Alabama could look to in order to fill its holes in the frontcourt and its final three open scholarship spots:
Grant Nelson
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First reported by Hank South of 247Sports, North Dakota State transfer Grant Nelson is planning on taking a visit to Alabama in the near future.
Nelson is a 6-foot-11 forward originally from Devils Lake, North Dakota, and has spent the past three years of his career playing for North Dakota State. He recently withdrew from the NBA Draft and entered the transfer portal, where many consider him to be the top commodity available at this stage.
Nelson averaged 17.9 points and 9.3 rebounds per game for the Bison last year, with a mesmerizing offensive arsenal for a near-7-footer. He can put the ball on the deck and score at the rim, and has the shooting ability to spread the floor which fits perfectly into Oats' offensive system.
Last season's efforts earned Nelson a First Team All-Summit League selection.
Arthur Kaluma
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Forward Arthur Kaluma also withdrew from the NBA Draft and entered the transfer portal, and Alabama was among the schools to make contact according to Jeff Goodman to Stadium.
Kaluma is a bit undersized for a frontcourt player at just 6-foot-7, but his 225-pound frame and strength make up for his lack of height. Last season as a sophomore for Creighton, Kaluma scored nearly 12 points per game and grabbed six rebounds to go with it, making him the fourth-leading scorer and second-leading rebounder on an Elite Eight team.
One of Kaluma's best traits is his ability to score at the rim using his strength, but he also has a capable 3-point shot, having shot 31 percent from beyond the arc last year.
The Glendale, Arizona native will be heavily pursued in the portal, and Alabama will have to battle the likes of Texas, Texas Tech and Kentucky at the very least for his pledge.
Jarin Stevenson
A 5-star prospect in the Class of 2024, forward Jarin Stevenson visited Alabama earlier in May and is a potential candidate to reclassify to 2023 and join the Crimson Tide for this upcoming season.
Stevenson is 6-foot-10, and hails from Pittsboro, North Carolina. In a recent interview with On3's Joe Tipton, Stevenson said he is "50/50" on reclassifying.
Most recently, Stevenson visit his home state school of North Carolina, where his mother also played. Stevenson also visited Virginia, Missouri, NC State and Georgetown, but the belief is that the race is between the Crimson Tide and the Tar Heels.
On3 also reported that Stevenson is likely to commit sometime in early June.
Isaiah Miranda
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Isaiah Miranda is one of the biggest wildcards on the board when it comes to available prospects. At 7-foot-1 with a rangy frame and notable athleticism, Miranda has impressive physical traits and all of the necessary tools to be a very productive player, but has yet to see the court after high school.
Miranda reclassified to the Class of 2022 and was a top-50 recruit, enrolling at NC State before redshirting for the entire year. Miranda declared for the draft, but ultimately withdrew and entered the transfer portal.
Miranda has a visit with Oklahoma State coming up, but On3's Joseph Hastings reported that a visit to Alabama could also be in the works soon.
Adrame Diongue
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Alabama recently reached out to 7-footer Adrame Diongue, who entered the transfer portal after his freshman season at Washington State.
He played in limited minutes in his first year of college basketball, averaging just six minutes per game, but his athleticism and wiry frame provide a lot of upside for development after being a top-75 recruit in the Class of 2022.
Alabama is part of a long list of schools that has reached out to Diongue including LSU, Kansas, Villanova and more, and not much else is known about his recruitment as he has not scheduled any visits to this point.
Conclusion
It's no secret that Alabama's current roster needs a lot of work in order to defend its SEC title this coming season, but if Oats and his newly-hired staff can close the deal with one or two of the aforementioned names, the Crimson Tide just may find itself right back in the SEC title race when February and March roll around.
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