re: Alabama Basketball 2026-27 roster tracker

Oats has done as good, or possibly better job of bringing in immediate impact TF than any coach in the country over the past 5 seasons. It’s not even debatable if you take the rankings into account bc so many of the immediate impact guys he’s brought to in were seen as “solid 4-star” recruits.

His most dominant team (#1 overall seed and a PG away from a Natty) was led entirely by TF.

It really is incredible if you go look at the recruiting classes beginning with his 2020 class, and look at the players he has consistently brought in that immediately became core contributors right away. The large majority of those guys were ranked and perceived the very similarly to the way Amari Allen and Philon were…solid “4-Star”” recruits with potential , but far from consensus top10 1-and-done types. Oats is a phenomenal recruiter, but he’s even better at evaluating and developing the guys he brings in.

When you consider that every 5-star talent Oats has signed (Reid might become the lone exception) went on to be a legitimate NBA player:
- Primo
- Brandon Miller
- Davidson
- Bradley (soon to be1st-rounder)
- I know he did not sign him, but CNO turned Kira Lewis into a 1st-rounder.

However, what is even more impressive (imo) is the immediate impact that the “solid 4-star” caliber players have made since he’s been here. His most dominant team and #1 overall seed was led by 3 TF. Guys like Clowney, Griffin, Bediake, Diabate, Sherrell, Philon, Allen, and several others I’m forgetting that were immediate impact players as TF that weren’t considered “can’t miss” type talents.

No one would’ve thought we would be sitting here fingers crossed waiting for Allen to hopefully forego the Draft and give us 1 more year when Oats signed him a year ago.

I would be stunned if at least one (possibly two) pilot by of the three extremely talented incoming TF don’t have the same impact that Philon had a year ago and what Allen did this year.

His track record with the Portal has been just as impressive imo …who could’ve possibly foreseen that Sears would be an SEC POY/AA, or that guys like Nelson, Wrightsell, Sears, and Pringle would be the caliber of transfers to lead us to our first ever Final 4???

Anyone who doubts that CNO will field yet another Sweet16 caliber team next season is either a prisoner of the moment (Sherrell/“slowcDddffcfr away and
If Oats does begin with this nucleus:
- Allen
- Holloway
- Jemison
- along with the 3 in-coming TF
(I also believe Hannah is going to be a very good player here)

That ranks right up there with most any other nucleus he has entered into a season with. I highly doubt if this year’s transfer class consisted of Sears, Estrada, Wrightsell and Grant Nelson that anyone would be talking about a Final 4.

I know the Sherrell situation wasn’t fun, and Holloway is a question mark right now, but at the end of the day Oats has proven time and again that he WILL put together a team that will contend for the SEC Championship and a Sweet16 as always.

We know that CNO has an extremely specific system and that each component of that system needs to possess a specific skill-set regardless of their transfer/recruiting ranking. A large majority of coaches simply try to acquire as much talent as possible and will only go as far as that talent takes them. Meanwhile, CNO can bring in a guy that isn’t on many radars and wind-up being an All-Conference performer like many already have under Oats.

My money is on all of us sitting here a year from now speculating that our upcoming season will depend on if Jaxon Richardson and some currently unknown player in the Portal decide to return for another year or not, then rinse and repeat,

Cover1key, I think you nailed it on the head.

Yeah, I’m pessimistic about the portal because the costs for sure-things, drop-in and flourish players is just too high. Furthermore, our need for bigs is a problem because that is a premium position in a premium market.

However you can squint and see the makings of another solid squad if things go our way in terms of projections for recruits, year two players, and stowaways on the roster.

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Yeah, I’m pessimistic about the portal because the costs for sure-things, drop-in and flourish players is just too high.

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The other thing that has to be a nightmare to manage are these mid-to-late first-round type guys who may or may not come back depending on draft grade (Philon last year, Allen this year). You either assume they leave and use up all your funds, risking them going elsewhere if they decide to come back, or you hold some in reserve hoping to lure them back and risk them staying in the draft, leaving you undermanned and underspent on the roster.

So assuming Allen returns and we get Cloer, we'd have more wings than a Baumhower's:

- Amari Allen
- London Jemison
- Cole Cloer
- Qayden Samuels
- Tarris Bouie
- Jaxon Richardson

Interesting

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Yeah the #3, #20, #24, and #103 ranked players in the portal in their respective years would be a terrible transfer class.
Sears, Estrada, Trelly, and Nelson would likely be the top rated transfer class in any year. I get what your post is trying to say but come on.

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Yeah, I wasn't going to say anything because I've learned to trust Nate too, but that portal class had even national analysts putting us into that Final Four conversation preseason. I think the problem is kids then were willing to turn down thousands for development, but now kids are having to sacrifice millions for development. Alabama fans are grilling Sherrell right now, and I get it, but I also understand taking money made in one season that you could reasonably live the rest of your life off of especially when you're not on NBA draft radars.

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So assuming Allen returns and we get Cloer, we'd have more wings than a Baumhower's:

- Amari Allen
- London Jemison
- Cole Cloer
- Qayden Samuels
- Tarris Bouie
- Jaxon Richardson

Interesting

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Positions covered in that group are 2-4 though, essentially meaning a starter/backup at each spot. I actually think that's an appropriate number and wouldn't be shocked if they add one more proven guy (since 4 of those are freshmen)

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An Allen/Samuels/Cloer/Jemison/Garrison lineup is intriguing. Plenty of offense and a lot of size/switchability defensively.

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and the hannah, richardson, and bouie lineups would be absurd levels of bounceyness.

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who? that bama team was ranked 24th preseason. most thought that team would be solid but not final four good, and that certainly includes on this board. the usual undersized, not athletic enough, low major type stuff. the team the season after was the only one i remember having tons of national hype on.

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You're right in terms of national hype. That was the year after. But the lower ranking was because of the lack of returners not because of the portal class. Who here was disappointed with that portal class? It was considered a great class nationally speaking. We landed one of the best guard transfers and best big transfers on the market as well as quality depth pieces.