What does Jalil Bethea Need To Show to Earn More Minutes For Alabama Basketball?

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Alabama basketball is riding a roller coaster 2025-26 season with numerous marquee wins, multiple home losses, off-court eligibility drama, and too many injuries to even count. The Crimson Tide finds itself in second place in the SEC with four games remaining, despite the challenges the season has brought.

The Crimson Tide's been dealing with injury issues throughout the season as nearly every player on the roster has had to overcome something health related. One player still battling the lingering effects of his injury is Miami transfer Jalili Bethea. The former 5-star guard broke his foot in the summer and has struggled to integrate himself into the lineup after falling behind in preseason training.

Bethea's appeared in 18 games for Alabama, averaging 4.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and .6 assists in 8.8 minutes per appearance. Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats has been consistent, saying Bethea's decision-making is what's prevented him from finding a bigger role this year.

"I've liked [Jalil] Bethea," Oats said. "One, his attitude's been unbelievably great for a kid who's got the rep he's got, the expectations that were put on him, and part of the reason he's struggled a little bit is he was out all summer with the broken foot and the fall he missed a lot, couldn't play at the beginning of the year. So, a lot of the stuff he needed to work on, decision-making in traffic, having the ball in his hands, knowing when to pass, when to shoot, when to get to two feet, when to play off one, all that stuff. All the decision-making, he missed so many reps in the offseason, that's what we do. We play in the flow, we play aggressive, downhill, fast, multiple handlers. You've got to be able to make decisions and not turn the ball over and make the right reads. He missed a lot of that. So those are the biggest things he's got to continue to get better at. We've been having additional practices at the end of practice, keeping guys back, him, Noah [Williamson], Taylor [Bol Bowen], Davion [Hannah], Keeton [Bristow], guys that maybe aren't playing heavy minutes working out with our walk-ons, managers, whatever, making those reads. He's getting better. His effort's been elite. I think he's playing super hard. Defensively, he's an athlete. He's giving us the effort we need to. He's got to stay a little more locked into the scouting report so he's not making mistakes on the defensive end - like scouting, gameplan mistakes if you will, and just continue to make good reads on offense.

"Everything about him, what a great teammate he's been, the effort he's put in, his attitude, makes you want to play him a bit more, and that's where my mind's at. Like, let's figure out times we can get him in, let's coach him up, let's let him play through some motor mistakes that maybe in the past, because his attitudes been so good. We could certainly use his shot-making, athleticism. I think he can be a great matchup on [Josh] Hubbard because he's got length and athleticism. His film study's been high, he's been in on it. He's got great points on guarding Hubbard. I think his mind's where it needs to be to help us make a run here in March."

Bethea's last double-digit minutes appearance came in Alabama's 97-82 win over Mississippi State in Starkville on January 13. He played 20 minutes and gave the Crimson Tide five points and five rebounds with an assist, but turned the ball over twice. It was only the sixth time this season the transfers played double-digit minutes, but Oats's comments on Tuesday, combined with a rematch against the Bulldogs, could indicate the guard is in store for more action as the season winds down.