Alabama guard Aaron Estrada was filled with gratitude and sadness for several minutes during the Crimson Tide's 86-72 loss to eventual national champion Yukon. Playing a key role on the program's first Final Four team was a special way to cap off a winding college career that included stops at four different schools. But instead of looking back in Alabama's locker room, he chose to look to the future.
“I think (Nate Oats) will probably win a national championship within the next two or three years,” Estrada said. “If you look back at last year to this year and even more losses than last year when he was leading the No. 1-ranked team in the world, you can see what a great coach he is. I know it”
At the same time, Oats attended the postgame press conference, echoing Estrada's perspective and focusing on what's next for the program.
“It's been great and I want to thank the players for getting us this far, but it's not over yet,” Oates said. “We want to come back here and win it all. I think that's going to be our goal. We're going to come back here and try to win the last game.
“We have to keep knocking on the door and asking them to continue to support us as they have always done, and we will continue to deliver winning products for them.”
Less than a week later, Oats' commitment to the program was put to an unexpected test when word broke that John Calipari was leaving Kentucky for Arkansas. Suddenly, Oats' name was associated with perhaps the biggest job in college basketball. Oates wasted little time in speculation. In what will go down as his most notable decision as Alabama's coach, the night before Calipari officially announced to Kentucky fans that he was headed elsewhere, he remained with the Crimson Tide. He reaffirmed his determination.
— Nate Oats (@nate_oats) April 9, 2024
Oats more than justifies athletic director Greg Byrne's decision to name mid-major Buffalo as the next men's basketball coach in 2019. Under Oats, the Crimson Tide won 68 percent of their games and won four SEC championships (two in the regular season and two in the tournament). ) and produced six NBA draft picks, five of them in the first round. A strong performance in the NCAA Tournament this spring made up for one honor missing from his first four years in Tuscaloosa. A trip to the Final Four with nine new players and three new assistant head coaches made this season's coaching job even more impressive.
It was inevitable that Oats would attract interest from other programs, but being named to Kentucky's shortlist confirmed Oats' high regard. Oats decided to stay, sending a message that what he can do at Kentucky and other blue bloods, he can do at Alabama.
Historically, Kentucky's basketball program has operated at a unique level within the SEC, from pedigree to resources to facilities, but there's no reason to believe Alabama can't raise its profile on the hardwood. . After losing to UW, Oats helped develop Florida's elite mid-2000s in both football and men's basketball. Oats is drawing on Alabama's championship history in other sports, and it's clear there is a commitment on the part of Alabama to build on the same in basketball.
“A lot of people said (Alabama) was a football school,” Oats said Saturday night. “There's a lot of basketball fans out there. There's no reason you can't be both.”
Am says Nate Oats is seriously interested in the Kentucky job, but things are going well in Tuscaloosa and Bama's boosters have stepped up significantly so he doesn't have to look elsewhere. he said.
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) April 9, 2024
Byrne has had a busy and fulfilling life over the past few months. The contract extension Oats signed in March puts him among the top 10 highest-paid coaches in college basketball and bumps his buyout value to $18 million. While some may argue that the amount of money wouldn't have deterred a force like Kentucky, it's still an important factor to consider. University of Alabama leadership appears committed to supporting Oats in ways beyond salary, from the NIL budget to expanding the salary pool for assistant coaches to facility upgrades, but replacing Coleman Coliseum. Long-term discussions about the new stadium continue.
Byrne referenced some of these investments in a statement shortly after Oats, directing fans to a link to join the Yea Alabama NIL collective and help keep Alabama alive nationally. said that it is an important element for When a program's stock is rising as fast as Alabama's, greater commitment from the administration, big backers and regular fans becomes easier.
https://t.co/2kEoHzdAU1 https://t.co/R3DIMHSfFp pic.twitter.com/lFw8WRFC77
— Greg Byrne (@Greg_Byrne) April 9, 2024
Calipari's exit from Kentucky reopens the debate about the best way to build a college basketball team, and this year's Alabama team had the right blend of elite high school talent, healthy internal development, and aggressive portal activity. That was a very good example.
The University of Alabama plays an attractive game of basketball that is as close to an NBA game as you'll find at the college level. Oates has turned Tuscaloosa into a destination for those looking to attend high school or transfer. Characters from his 2023-24 team at the University of Alabama tell the story. Jalin Stevenson was his five-star recruit in 2024 who reclassified in 2023 and played a big role in his freshman year. Grant Nelson considered the 2023 NBA Draft, but transferred from North Dakota State to Alabama to hone his game. He made the leap after joining the program one year after Rylan Griffen and Mark He Sears. Alabama has three players ranked in the top 50 in the 2024 class, as well as a notable transfer from Pepperdine to the Houston Mallet, looking to join an established core team.
There is still work to be done between now and November. On Wednesday, freshman forward Chris Parker announced his intention to enter the transfer portal. The departure of Parker, who redshirted this year, leaves Alabama with 14 scholarships, one more than the NCAA limit. Estrada is the only player to be disqualified. Other players can return next season. The most compelling draft decisions going forward belong to Sears and Nelson, rising seniors who have risen to prominence with impressive performances in the tournament. Of the two, Nelson is more likely to receive a first-round pick and a coveted guaranteed contract. The return of either of them and the potential for Griffen, Stevenson, Mo Diubatte and Sam Walters to make strides would set the stage for another season with high hopes for a national championship. Meanwhile, Alabama will certainly continue to track the transfer portal, ideally for a reliable rim protector.
The landscape of SEC basketball is changing, with Texas and Oklahoma entering the fold, Calipari relocating to Arkansas, and Kentucky getting a new coach. The path to conference and national supremacy is becoming increasingly difficult, but Alabama has new assurance with commitment from the most important piece of the puzzle and postseason validation as one of the nation's growing programs. It's in a better location than anywhere else.
(Photo: Bob Donnan/USA Today)