Overview
- After consecutive deep NCAA Tournament runs, Alabama was ranked No. 15 in the AP preseason poll and picked fourth in the SEC.
- Key departures include All-American Mark Sears, Grant Nelson, Chris Youngblood and Clifford Omoruyi, leaving major roles to fill.
- Nate Oats brought in a 247Sports top-10 class of three freshmen and four transfers led by former five-star guard Jalil Bethea.
- Sophomore Labaron Philon scored 28 points in an exhibition and drew a charge from Oats to take ownership as the primary initiator.
- Veteran guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. resumed on-court action with 12 points in an exhibition after being cleared for non-contact work in September, as analysts temper the team’s ceiling until newcomers gel.