Alabama Basketball: No consolation, but a bit of perspective

Alabama Basketball fans are understandably still upset about the Crimson Tide’s Sweet 16 loss. Bama hoops was easily one of the nation’s best teams all season, and the pain of falling short in a year where a title seemed so attainable will never fully dissipate.

Still, it is important to step back and take stock of how far Coach Nate Oats has brought the Alabama Basketball program. Bama has two SEC regular season championships, two SEC Tournament titles, and two Sweet 16 appearances in the last three years.

It went 31-6 in 2022-23, the most wins and third-highest winning percentage in school history.

Tomorrow evening, two of the six teams that beat Alabama Basketball this season will square off for the national championship. Does this provide any solace to frustrated Crimson Tide hoops fans? Maybe not, but it should provide some perspective.

Bama has gradually improved in the Nate Oats era, and reached an elite level as a team this year.

All but one of its losses came against NCAA Tournament teams, and four of those five tournament teams reached the Sweet 16. In a way, this illustrates the status that Alabama Basketball has reached. I believe the program is just a step or two away from a postseason breakthrough.

Will Alabama Basketball take a step back next year?

Progression is not always linear, and, frankly, it would be shocking if the Crimson Tide didn’t take a slight step back next season.

Lottery pick Brandon Miller is departing, and will likely be joined by a handful of other impact players such as Noah Clowney and Jahvon Quinerly. Coach Oats returns some solid core pieces, but will likely have to rebuild the roster in the transfer portal to some extent.

Even if it’s not next winter, Alabama Basketball fans should be confident that Oats will produce another championship-caliber team in the near future. He is an excellent recruiter of both high school players and transfers, and a sharp basketball mind. Oats utilizes an analytical approach to the game, and a unique strategy that is a proven winner at multiple stops.

Bama is losing a lot of talent from this year’s team, which may be concerning on the surface. However, it is important to keep in mind that the 2020-21 and 2022-23 Bama teams, which paralleled each other in so many ways, featured just one common player of significance.

Coach Oats is slowly fine-tuning this program, and it is only a matter of time before Alabama Basketball gets over the proverbial hump.