Alabama Basketball 2014-2015 Season Preview
By Nick Jones
Departures
The Crimson Tide has seen its fair share of departures from the program in Anthony Grant’s tenure.
Last season, former highly ranked recruits Trevor Lacey and Devonta Pollard left the team for differing reasons.
Pollard was arrested in connection with a kidnapping in his home state of Mississippi. He was later cleared and is now enrolled at Houston after playing at a junior college last season.
Lacey is now playing for former Alabama coach Mark Gottfried at NC State after leaving the program to “pursue other opportunities.”
Nick Jacobs
Forward Nick Jacobs was released from his scholarship at Alabama in May after taking an “indefinite leave of absence” at the end of the 2013–2014 season.
Jacobs, although a bit undersized, was one of Alabama’s most talented low post scoring threats during his time in Tuscaloosa.
Georgia Tech announced in June that Jacobs would be joining the Yellow Jackets after choosing to return to his home state of Georgia.
Algie Key
Junior college transfer, Algie Key, was a big addition for the Tide’s 2013–2014 campaign. Key was one of the top JUCO guards in the nation and was expected to add depth to the guard position for the Tide.
Key’s role at Alabama diminished as the season progressed, and although he was a great defender, he never found his shooting touch in Tuscaloosa.
Anthony Grant announced that Key would transfer after just one season with the Tide in April.
Key is now playing for Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas.
Carl Engstrom
Former Alabama 7-foot–2 forward Carl Engstrom had his ups and downs with the Crimson Tide.
Engstrom seemingly had a hard time adjusting to college basketball’s style of play after growing up in Sweden.
Engstrom graduated from Alabama in May and announced in April that he would forgo his final year of eligibility to pursue professional opportunities.
Engstrom played in 84 games in his career at the Capstone and averaged 1.3 points, 2 rebounds and 9.2 minutes per game.