Nate Oats has substantially raised the perception of Alabama basketball over his seven seasons, building the program around his fast-paced, uptempo offense that attracts fans and elite scorers alike. But, after being dominated in the paint by a huge Michigan squad in the Sweet 16 last season, he made it clear that the team had to get bigger in order to compete for a national title.
As such, he fully rebuilt the frontcourt in the offseason, and for good measure added length and athleticism on the perimeter. The offensive philosophy hasn’t changed, but he is determined to be tougher on defense and better on the glass.
The result is perhaps the deepest and most physically imposing roster of Nate’s coaching career. The Tide return two established stars in Aden Holloway and Amari Allen, add a legitimate perimeter-shooting big man in Drew Fielder and a boast a bevy of versatile wings who offer plenty of lineup flexibility.
There are questions, to be sure. How effectively will the newcomers mesh? Can the Tide improve defensively without sacrificing its offensive identity? And, who will emerge as the third scoring option behind Holloway and Allen?
Let’s have a look at this roster, shall we?
Returnees
Aden Holloway — Senior, Guard, 6-1, 185 pounds
Alabama’s most established offensive weapon returns for his senior season, and how he adjusts to running the offense as the primary point guard will go a long way toward determining Alabama’s success. Holloway proved himself last year as a reliable complementary scoring option, averaging 16 points and 3.8 assists. His ability to knock down shots from well beyond the arc forces defenses to extend, and keeping him out of the paint is a challenge for any defender. Aden even showed some growth as a defender last season, though his size will always be a detriment. Following an offseason of legal trouble, he will be asked to step into a leadership role once he returns from a two-game suspension.
Amari Allen — Sophomore, Guard, 6-6, 215 pounds
If all goes to plan, Allen should be the primary scoring option. The versatile sophomore earned SEC All-Freshman honors after averaging 11.4 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists during an impressive debut season. Allen flirted with the NBA Draft last season but ultimately returned in hopes of not only competing for a championship but also developing his ball handling and defense. At 6-foot-6 he has versatility, as his rebounding and assist numbers would suggest, but he’s going to have to play in the backcourt at the next level. Amari should be one of the nation’s best at getting to the rim and finishing.
London Jemison — Sophomore, Forward, 6-8, 212 pounds
Jemison enters his second season with an opportunity to carve out a considerably larger role. The athletic forward offers the combination of length, mobility and offensive versatility that Oats values in his frontcourt players. His ability to operate on the perimeter gives Alabama another option for spreading the floor without sacrificing size. For Jemison, the challenge will be turning flashes of potential into consistent production. Oats seems excited about London’s prospects for the season, and the added frontcourt depth should allow him to play his natural role which ranges from a long wing to a stretch four.
Keitenn Bristow — Junior, Forward, 6-9, 216 pounds
Bristow returns after an injury-disrupted season, giving Alabama another intriguing option in a suddenly crowded frontcourt. The former Tarleton State forward brings a different skill set than the traditional interior players on the roster. His mobility and potential as a perimeter threat could make him particularly useful in lineups designed to maximize offensive spacing. Bristow has looked like a new player in the preseason, and may be a major contributor if he can beat the injury bug.
Collins Onyejiaka — Sophomore, Center, 6-11, 265 pounds
Collins is a physical specimen at 6-foot-11 and 265 pounds with the ability to jump out of the gym. He had a scary situation with his heart last season, but has now been cleared to play. Unfortunately for him, the additions of Fielder, Garrison, and Davis-Fleming have created a bit of a logjam in the post. Still, there will undoubtedly be times this season where Alabama needs some extra heft in the paint, and Onyejiaka fits that bill.
Preston Murphy Jr. — Senior, Guard, 6-0, 190 pounds
Murphy provides experienced backcourt depth. The senior isn’t expected to shoulder a major offensive burden, particularly with Holloway, Allen and several big time freshmen competing for opportunities. His value comes from understanding the system, providing a steady presence in practice and offering insurance if injuries or foul trouble show up. With Alabama’s pace placing considerable demands on its guards, having another experienced option available is useful even if Murphy’s minutes are limited.
The Transfers
Drew Fielder — Senior, Forward, 6-11, 242 pounds
Fielder might be the most consequential addition Oats has made through the portal in his career. The Boise State transfer averaged 14.7 points and 5.7 rebounds last season while shooting an outstanding 40.9% from three-point range, which is incredible for a dude of this size. A threat like Drew on the perimeter will pull opposing bigs away from the basket, affording Aden, Amari and friends some driving lanes.
Fielder also brings considerable experience, having spent two seasons at Georgetown before transferring to Boise State. The question is whether he can hold up physically against the SEC’s bigger teams. He’s an accomplished offensive player, but Alabama will need him to contribute on the glass and prove that he can defend elite bigs.
Brandon Garrison — Senior, Forward, 6-10, 255 pounds
Another player on his third team, from Oklahoma State via Kentucky, Garrison is a physical interior presence who can battle for rebounds, protect the paint and finish around the basket. He has SEC experience, but Kentucky fans seemed somewhat happy to see him go. As long as the effort is there, Garrison can be an imposing rim protector. Early returns have been promising this preseason, and he’s even shown the ability to knock down the occasional three.
Jamarion Davis-Fleming — Sophomore, Forward, 6-10, 245 pounds
Davis-Fleming is something of a wild card, and one of the more intriguing additions. The Mississippi State transfer averaged 3.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks off the bench as a freshman, and gives Nate another big body to rotate. He isn’t going to shoot the ball much and is a liability at the free throw line, but he brings the lunch pail.
Cole Cloer — Freshman, Guard, 6-8, 205 pounds
Cloer may be the breakout star of the preseason. At 6-foot-8, he has elite length for a college wing and one of the prettiest three-point strokes that you will see. Cole shot 44% on 18 attempts from three point range in two exhibition games, averaging 16 points per. He is seemingly built for Oats’ offense, and will raise this team’s ceiling if he is able to play at that level throughout the regular season. NBA draftniks are already taking notice.
The Freshmen
Qayden Samuels — Freshman, Guard, 6-6, 225 pounds
Samuels arrives in Tuscaloosa with the reputation of an elite scorer and the physical tools to contribute immediately. A Maryland product, Qayden was among the nation’s most highly regarded perimeter prospects, ranking as a top ten small forward in the 2026 recruiting class. At 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds, Samuels already possesses the size and strength to compete against college defenders. His ability to attack the basket, finish above the rim and create shots gives Alabama another potential offensive weapon. He also looked the best of the available options at point guard with Holloway and Anderson Diaz unable to play in the preseason, and may well fill that role in spots.
Jaxon Richardson — Freshman, Forward, 6-6, 210 pounds
A high school slam dunk champion following in his father’s footsteps, Richardson brings considerable athletic ability to Tuscaloosa. The McDonald’s All-American is the son of former NBA standout and dunk champ Jason Richardson, and the younger brother of Orlando Magic guard Jase Richardson. At 6-foot-6, Richardson has plenty of length on the wings and carries the reputation of a lockdown defender. The primary question concerns his offensive development, particularly perimeter shooting which is vital to thriving in Oats’ offensive system. Jaxon played limited minutes in the preseason due to illness, but if his defense is as advertised, he should find plenty of floor time.
Tarris Bouie — Freshman, Forward, 6-6, 175 pounds
Tarris is another dude who jumped off the screen in the preseason. Length has been a theme throughout this piece, but Bouie epitomizes it. This dude has crazy hops, a seemingly endless wingspan, and in the preseason proved to be tenacious on defense. His offense looked a bit erratic at times, but you can’t keep the defensive effort and ability that we saw in the preseason on the bench.
Anderson Diaz — Freshman, Guard, 6-2, 182 pounds
Diaz provides Alabama with another talented young ball handler and potential long-term answer at point guard. Originally a member of the 2027 recruiting class, Diaz reclassified to join the Tide a year early. His game is built around quickness, creativity and the ability to penetrate defenses. To be frank, he looks a bit like a left-handed Holloway. His ability to adjust physically to the college game will determine his contribution as a freshman, as he is both young and on the smaller side. Missing the entire exhibition slate due to injury won’t help.
TJ St. Louis — Freshman, Center, 7-0, 265 pounds
A late addition to the roster out of Canada, St. Louis is a legitimate seven-footer and a huge body in the paint. With all of the available options in front of him and a seemingly limited offensive game, TJ may not see much time this season. Nate Oats has used the term “redshirt” here, though redshirts no longer exist.
Projected Rotation:
Starting Five: Holloway, Allen, Jemison, Fielder, Garrison
Key reserves: Samuels, Bouie, Cloer, Richardson, Bristow
Depth: Davis-Fleming, Onyejiaka, Diaz, Murphy, St. Louis
Outlook
Alabama enters the 2026–27 season with the ingredients to make another deep NCAA Tournament run. The Tide has an established backcourt in Allen and Holloway, a veteran sharp-shooting big in Fielder, and substantially more frontcourt size than in previous seasons. Add in a freshman class that appears to be sorely underrated and a potential game-changing marksman in Cloer, and the ceiling is quite high.
Doling out minutes won’t be easy. Finding the right combinations is always the key, and Nate will have no shortage of options at his disposal. The defense did have a few too many lapses in the preseason games, and Nate has made it known throughout his tenure that lazy defense is the easiest way to find oneself sitting on the bench.
On paper, this looks like a team capable of competing for a SEC title and making a deep run in March. Alabama is a projected top 12 squad according to both KenPom and Evan Miya.
But, as always, you never know how a team with this amount of turnover will come together until it happens. With 10 teams projected in the KenPom top 30, the SEC is projected to be as brutal as ever this season. Speaking of…
The Schedule
Oats has quickly earned a reputation as an aggressive scheduler, to say the least. They have five tune-ups before the Thanksgiving Players’ Era tournament, starting with Sam Houston State next Tuesday then Arkansas State on Friday. Holloway will remain suspended for both of those and plans to join the team the following week.
After the Players’ Era, the Tide will face this three game gauntlet in December (rankings per KenPom):
12/2/26 – at #22 Miami
12/8/26 – vs #3 Houston
12/12/26 – vs #23 St. John’s
They will then close out the calendar year with road games at South Florida and Iowa, plus a game against Samford after Christmas that won’t be played if Alabama reaches the finals of the Players’ Era. Conference play kicks off in January per usual, starting with Mississippi State and LSU just after the new year. All told, Alabama has 14 games scheduled against the preseason KenPom Top 30. Depending on how they do in the Players’ Era, they could add a couple more.
It’s a pretty brutal slate, but there are plenty of chances to notch valuable Quadrant 1 wins to impress the committee. As we like to say around here, hope for the best.
Roll Tide.