Alabama Coach Nate Oats Paid Illinois a Significant Compliment – Is It Legit?

Even after his Crimson Tide beat the Illini on Wednesday, Oats said he considers Illinois a national championship contender

Oct 14, 2025; Birmingham, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats talks with the media during SEC Media Days at Grand Bohemian Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

There's a thing college basketball coaches often do, especially at the highest levels: Whether on the winning or losing side, both head men have a tendency to lead their postgame press conferences with glowing platitudes about the other team. There's a lot behind it. Coaching is a fraternity. It's bad form to trash or badmouth an opponent. Plus, you never know when a guy on the other side might want to offer you a job someday. And win or lose, it's a bit of a humblebrag to point out, "Hey, those guys were really good." It's a good politics all around.

So it wasn't a shock to hear Alabama's Nate Oats offer similar words at his postgame press conference following the No. 11 Crimson Tide's 90-86 win over No. 8 Illinois on Wednesday at the United Center in Chicago. Compliments cost nothing, and it's pretty clear that the Illini are indeed shaping up as a very good college hoops outfit. But Oats took his assessment steps further.

Alabama's Nate Oats calls Illinois a title contender

Nov 13, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats calls a play during the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Coleman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: David Leong-Imagn Images | David Leong-Imagn Images

"That's a really good team we just played," Oats said in his postgame presser Wednesday. "I mean, they're going to be competing for a national championship, in my opinion. They're going to be in the mix. They're talented, they've got depth, they're hard to keep off the glass."

There are customary niceties and then there are proclamations like that. Gas up every halfway decent opponent, and people stop listening to you. You become the coach who cried "national title contender." But that hasn't been Oats' m.o. In fact, when asked why he is so high on the Illini (4-1), Oats went to a laundry list of items off the top of his head.

Alabama head coach Nate Oats thinks Illinois is a national championship-caliber team. Why?

"I think they've got the pieces."

Mentions #Illini's size and versatility 1-5.

"If they make their free throws, they probably win." pic.twitter.com/4AP2mNzb5m

— Tristan Thomas (@TristanThomasTV) November 20, 2025

Why Illinois can win it all, according to Nate Oats

"I think they've got the pieces," said Oats, focusing first on Kylan Boswell, his downhill driving, off-the-dribble shooting and toughness. "He's a winner."

And Oats is a big fan of Boswell working in tandem with Illinois' floor-spacing bigs, as well as the burly inside game of David Mirkovic and the knifing drives of Andrej Stojakovic. He mentioned Ben Humrichous' shooting and called Keaton Wagler "a pretty good find for them." He talked up Illinois' depth. The implication: You can pick some things the Illini do that you want to slow down, but you can't stop everything.

"They can go inside on you, they can drive it on you, they can go outside with the entire lineup, 1 through 5." Oats said. "I think they're pretty good."

And Wednesday was an off night for the Illini. Injuries lingered. Free throws clanked (13-for-22 at the line). Oats knows good timing when he sees it.

"If they make their free throws," Oats said, "they probably win."