Alabama Basketball: Forget about Nate Oats ‘not winning the presser’
By Ronald Evans
New Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats is quickly exceeding expectations. Greg Byrne did not worry about ‘winning a press conference.’ Oats nailed it anyway.
Thursday was day one of a new era for Alabama basketball. For some Alabama basketball fans, it was the first opportunity to get a handle on just who and what new Tide head coach Nate Oats is. On Monday, Greg Byrne had said he was not worried about he and a new hire “winning a press conference.”
Nate Oats ignored that plan. On Thursday Nate Oats showed all he is a man of passion and conviction. From his prepared remarks, he said all the right things and thanked all the right people. He spoke about the specialness of the University of Alabama. He paid homage to the Crimson Tide legacy with special notice to Nick Saban and Wimp Sanderson. Such tribute is standard fare for a new coach, but with Nate Oats, it came across as unusually genuine.
After finishing his prepared comments, Nate Oats showed he needed no notes to explain his philosophy of basketball and life. He spoke with a quiet intensity and it was apparent he spoke from the heart.
In explaining himself as a basketball junkie since the fifth grade, he revealed his work ethic. He used money from a paper route to buy his own television so he could watch as many games as possible.
In explaining the core values he instills, he presented what Alabama basketball players and Crimson Tide fans can expect. Those core values are maximum effort, continued growth and selfless love. Listening to Nate Oats, it was clear those values will be more than preached. They will be practiced in the Alabama basketball program.
Oats also provided a short summary of what kind of basketball Crimson Tide fans can expect.
- Getting up and down the floor quickly and scoring in transition
- Playing an ‘in-your-face’ aggressive style against all opponents
- Accepting a blue-collar mentality, signified by his ‘Hard Hat’ game awards for the players who excel at diving for loose balls, deflecting passes, doing precise little things not recorded on regular stat sheets
- Everything based on playing hard on defense
It could be argued not many players on the recent Alabama basketball roster were well suited for Oats’ style. Some of them, especially Kira Lewis, Herbert Jones and John Petty could excel in it.
Those Tide fans concerned about Nate Oats’ recruiting prowess will get feedback quickly. Even before the press conference, Oats met with Lewis and Jones. And don’t be surprised if a new recruit jumps on board this weekend.
The full video is below compliments of Bama Insider.
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The word not stated on Thursday that springs to mind is culture. Nate Oats will change the culture of Alabama basketball. It will be an exciting transformation.