Nate Oats Provides Health Updates for Alabama Players Before UTSA Matchup

The Crimson Tide was without multiple key players in Wednesday's win against Clemson.

Nov 13, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Aden Holloway (2) dribbles against Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) during the second half at Coleman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: David Leong-Imagn Images | David Leong-Imagn Images

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Alabama men's basketball defeated Clemson 90-84 in the ACC/SEC Men's Challenge on Wednesday night, but it did so without several major contributors in both the frontcourt and backcourt.

The No. 12 Crimson Tide (6-2) is set to play against the Austin Claunch-led UTSA Roadrunners on Sunday afternoon (1 p.m. CT, SEC Network) at Coleman Coliseum, and head coach Nate Oats shared more insight about the statuses of Latrell Wrightsell Jr., Aden Holloway and Keitenn Bristow on Friday afternoon.

Wrightsell will be a game-time decision for the team's meeting with UTSA, and he's gradually being ramped up for the possibility that he can go. Holloway did not practice Friday, and will also be a game-time decision. Guard Jalil Bethea's workload will continue to go up after his debut Wednesday, while he remains on a minutes restriction. Bristow is doubtful for Sunday, but Oats hopes he will be back for the Dec. 13 game against Arizona in Birmingham.

Oats said Wrightsell's return, which he eagerly anticipates, will cause his squad's defense to become "markedly improved."

Bristow has only played in three games this season, making his 2025 debut against then-No. 8 Illinois in Chicago on Nov. 19. He's averaging 6.7 points and a little more than seven rebounds per contest. He last played in the UNLV game on Nov. 25 and had a boot on his right foot the next day but was out of it this past Wednesday.

"Keitenn's back to doing some basketball workouts. Didn't do anything live today," Oats said.

Wrightsell missed most of last season following a ruptured Achilles he suffered in the championship game of the 2024 Players Era Festival against Oregon. He took a medical redshirt and rehabbed in time to be able to make a return for this season, taking the floor again for the St. John's game Nov. 8. He missed all of the 2025 Players Era Festival with an injury and did not participate in the ACC/SEC Challenge. In limited action thus far, he averages 9.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.

"Based on today's practice, he was unbelievable. He was limited... He was mainly in half-court stuff," Oats said. Wrightsell didn't finish practice because he hit his designated workload. "He's a really positive kid. He's a great teammate. Plays super hard, and based on what I just walked out of... He's gonna have himself a really good senior year and he's gonna help us tremendously."

The Crimson Tide head coach noted that Wrightsell will be playing limited minutes if he's able to go on Sunday, though the best-case scenario for the team is after that, he will be able to operate without any restrictions next Saturday and stay healthy for the remainder of the season.

Holloway had a brace on his right wrist Wednesday, the result of a previous injury Oats said he reaggravated. The junior double-doubled in his last outing, scoring 17 points and dishing out 10 assists in a 105-72 win over Maryland. He tied a career-high mark with 26 points in the UNLV matchup.

Freshman center Collins Onyejiaka, who appeared in both of the Crimson Tide's first two games, is out indefinitely with a medical condition. Oats announced that development a day prior to Alabama's Nov. 13 home loss against Purdue; nothing has since officially changed.