Alabama Basketball: Nate Oats reviews season, discusses the roster and his plans for the future

On Tuesday, Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats had a teleconference with Alabama media. He discussed his first Tide season and his plans for the next.

Alabama basketball coach, Nate Oats is not the wordsmith Nick Saban is. Oats’ is less guarded. He speaks in a direct fashion, often quite candidly.

The measurement of Nate Oats as an Alabama basketball coach is ongoing. Most Crimson Tide fans realize Oats needs time to build a roster of his choosing. A season with an injury-depleted roster did not provide a fair assessment.

Oats spoke about the results of his first Tide season saying,

"They didn’t bring us in here to go 16-15, and we had some of those discussions with some of the players."

Oats said he thought his team adapted to his style of play but came up short defensively. The Alabama basketball staff is already working on those defensive deficiencies.

Speaking about the past season’s roster, Oats said he would be pleasantly surprised if Kira Lewis Jr. and John Petty Jr. did not turn pro. He expects the pair will do NBA, team workouts and get Draft feedback before hiring an agent. There was no mention of Herbert Jones doing the same.

Talking about the 2020-21 roster, Oats said it will look “significantly different.” Commenting on what Crimson Tide players might opt to transfer, Oats said,

"As we start to get some commits, we’ll have those conversations, and they may be a little bit harder conversations as they see different guys committing to us."

More telling from Oats was he expects next season’s roster to have more players with “multiple skills.” He wants more big guards and commented one might announce this week. Alabama basketball fans realize the player Oats referred to is 5-Star, Josh Primo.

Nate cannot refer to a recruit by name, but he can speak about players who set out this past season. He commented on Villanova transfer, Jahvon Quinerly.

"A lot of you saw Quinerly in practice and, shoot, he was really good. Some days, he was the best player in practice."

On the current roster, players are at home across the nation. Oats said he and his staff are working hard to stay in frequent contact with them He also offered advice for all young people in relation to the coronavirus.

"young people are “sometimes reckless” with their decisions right now and he has told his players to stay home for the “general welfare for the entire country.”"

No one knows how the roster transition will play out for Alabama basketball. NBA teams may not be able to do in-person workouts prior to the NBA Draft. Recruiting decisions and perhaps recruiting calendars may slide. Normally the Alabama basketball staff would be flying all over the country, trying to close recruits for mid-April signing. Nate Oats and his staff will adjust. JUCO players and transfers will have as much priority as incoming freshmen, particularly in finding a ‘big’ or two.

The chance of extra eligibility for basketball or any winter sport is minimal. It appears Beetle Bolden will not get a chance to return.