Where Alabama Basketball Ranks in 2025-26 Preseason Polls

The Crimson Tide finished last season as the No. 6 team in the polls, but after numerous offseason roster moves, what is expected of Alabama this year?

Feb 8, 2025; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats during the first half against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Alabama men's basketball has officially turned the page to the 2025-26 season.

The Crimson Tide has made a ton of changes to its personnel this offseason, and before it is tested in an exhibition against Florida State in Birmingham, the AP Top 25 placed Alabama as the No. 15 team in the preseason poll on Oct. 13.

On Wednesday, the Crimson Tide landed at No. 16 in the Coaches Poll.

Alabama is the fourth-highest rated SEC team in each poll, as it sits behind No. 3/3 Florida, No. 9/9 Kentucky and No. 14/15 Arkansas. Overall, there are six SEC teams in the preseason AP Top 25 and Coaches Poll.

Head coach Nate Oats, who was hired in 2019, has led the program to land a spot on the prestigious preseason list in each of the last five seasons, including 2025-26. It's the second-longest streak in Crimson Tide history, as UA appeared in the preseason AP Poll six consecutive times from 1973-74 to 1978-79.

This is the 23rd time that Alabama has appeared in the preseason AP Top 25.

Alabama finished last season ranked No. 6 following the Elite Eight loss to Duke. The Crimson Tide's No. 2 spot in the 2024-25 preseason AP Top 25 was its highest mark in program history, and Alabama remained inside the top 10 for the entire season despite having the toughest strength of schedule in the country.

Alabama has had quite the offseason after becoming the only school in the country to reach the Elite Eight round in each of the last two NCAA Tournaments.

Four of last season's starters exhausted their collegiate eligibility. Additionally, guard Labaron Philon initially entered the NBA Draft but withdrew at the deadline and became one of five players to return from last year's team. The Crimson Tide had four outgoing transfers but also five incoming transfers, and the team also signed four recruits to its freshmen class.

In terms of the staff, Oats and company lost assistant Ryan Pannone to the vacant Arkansas State job and replaced him with longtime NBA assistant Chris Fleming. In addition, UA promoted Alabama basketball great Erwin Dudley to special assistant to the head coach.

Preseason AP Top 25

(Ranking, team, first-place votes, points received)

1. Purdue (35), 1485
2. Houston (16), 1459
3. Florida (8), 1382
4. UConn (2), 1299
5. St. John's, 1203
6. Duke, 1123
7. Michigan, 1084
8. BYU, 1078
9. Kentucky, 1056
10. Texas Tech, 1015
11. Louisville, 966
12. UCLA, 741
13. Arizona, 715
14. Arkansas, 695
15. Alabama, 620
16. Iowa State, 616
17. Illinois, 567
18. Tennessee, 462
19. Kansas, 453
20. Auburn, 424
21. Gonzaga, 387
22. Michigan State, 188
23. Creighton, 158
24. Wisconsin, 136
25. North Carolina, 104

Others receiving votes: NC State 101, Oregon 98, San Diego St. 74, Texas 35, Ohio St. 23, Kansas St 13, Mississippi 11, Southern Cal 10, Missouri 8, Washington 7, Vanderbilt 7, Iowa 6, Boise St. 4, Mississippi St. 3, VCU 2, Virginia 2, Saint Mary's 2, Indiana 1, Oklahoma 1, Baylor 1

Preseason Coaches Poll

(Ranking, team, first-place votes, points received)

1. Purdue (18), 755
2. Houston (12), 749
3. Florida (1), 704
4. UConn, 647
5. Duke, 623
6. St. John's, 609
7. Michigan, 569
8. BYU, 532
9. Kentucky, 529
10. Louisville, 456
11. Texas Tech, 455
12. UCLA, 421
13. Arizona, 398
14. Illinois, 349
15. Arkansas, 329
16. Alabama, 322
17. Tennessee, 292
18. Iowa State, 289
19. Kansas, 235
20. Gonzaga, 185
21. Michigan State, 144
22. Auburn, 114
23. Creighton, 103
24. Wisconsin, 62
25. North Carolina, 37

Others Receiving Votes

North Carolina State 33; Oregon 26; San Diego State 15; Ohio State 15; Baylor 13; Virginia 11; Vanderbilt 10; USC 7; Texas 6; Villanova 5; Missouri 5; Ole Miss 4; Washington 3; Saint Mary's 3; Iowa 3; Cincinnati 3; VCU 2; Oklahoma State 1; Kansas State 1; Boise State 1.

Alabama Preseason AP Poll History

• 2025-26: No. 15
• 2024-25: No. 2
• 2023-24: No. 24
• 2022-23: No. 20
• 2021-22: No. 14
• 2011-12: No. 19
• 2006-07: No. 11
• 2005-06: No. 15
• 2004-05: No. 18
• 2002-03: No. 8
• 2001-02: No. 24
• 1994-95: No. 18
• 1991-92: No. 17
• 1990-91: No. 7
• 1986-87: No. 13
• 1982-83: No. 12
• 1981-82: No. 20
• 1978-79: No. 19
• 1977-78: No. 15
• 1976-77: No. 13
• 1975-76: No. 12
• 1974-75: No. 9
• 1973-74: No. 18