Key Alabama Basketball Starter Heading to Transfer Portal

Alabama forward Aiden Sherrell is entering the transfer portal, per On3's Joe Tipton.

The sophomore becomes the second member of the 2025-26 Crimson Tide eyeing a change of scenery, joining forward Taylor Bol Bowen.

Alabama had five players from the 2024-25 team return for this season, and perhaps the most improved among them was Sherrell. He played the fewest minutes per game last year and started in all of his contests in 2025-26.

The 6-foot-11, 255-pounder averaged 11.1 points, 6.2 rebounds (2.4 offensive), 1.1 assists, 0.6 steals and 2.2 blocks in 23.9 minutes. Sherrell led the SEC in blocks with 76. He had two games this season with eight blocks, and yet he had seven total in 2024-25!

For reference, Sherrell averaged 3.4 points, 2.8 rebounds (1.1 offensive), 0.4 assists, 0.2 steals and 0.2 blocks in 8.8 minutes in 2024-25. This was a player who played in the McDonald's All-American Game a few months before.

A strong argument could be made that Sherrell's best game at Alabama was during the 117-115 double overtime win over Arkansas. He scored what remained a career-high 26 points with 13 rebounds (the second-most of his career).

“His impact as a roller, finishing at the rim, making free throws and getting offensive rebounds was big,” Alabama head coach Nate Oats said after the Arkansas game. “He was great...“[The pick-and-role game] was a big part. I didn’t think we hit him enough. There were times he was open on the roll and we didn’t get it to him.”

Sherrell's 39 minutes against Arkansas were easily the most he played in a game all season, but it wasn't necessarily for the best reasons. There's no doubt that Alabama's main area of roster weakness resided in the frontcourt.

Besides the opening jump ball, Sherrell acted as the Crimson Tide's center. That said, there weren't many options to back him up. Center Noah Williamson averaged less than 10 minutes per game and the 6-foot-10 forward Keitenn Bristow missed a majority of the season due to a leg injury. Additionally, Taylor Bol Bowen played through a leg injury for a good chunk of the year.

Sherrell leaving Alabama is a tremendous loss for the Crimson Tide. Maybe the biggest outgoing transfer from UA in quite some time. Filling Sherrell's role will be one of the top priorities for Alabama over the next couple of weeks.

The transfer portal opens on April 7, the day after the National Championship, and closes on April 21. BamaCentral is keeping track of the Crimson Tide’s outgoing and incoming players and coaches right here ahead of next season.

For those eyeing the next level, the NCAA’s early entry withdrawal deadline for the 2026 NBA Draft is May 27 at 10:59 p.m. CT.

Alabama Players Who Could Return, Transfer or Enter NBA Draft

G Labaron Philon Jr. (would be a junior)
G Aden Holloway (would be a senior)
G Jalil Bethea (would be a junior)
G Davion Hannah (would be a sophomore *pending redshirt*)
G Preston Murphy Jr. (would be a senior)
F Amari Allen (would be a sophomore)
F London Jemison (would be a sophomore)
F Keitenn Bristow (would be a junior *pending redshirt*)
C Collins Onyejiaka (would be a sophomore *pending redshirt*)

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