Alabama Basketball: Latest 2023-24 Roster Updates

As we enter the summer, Coach Nate Oats is working to finalize the Alabama Basketball roster for the 2023-24 season. Expectations will be higher than usual after Oats led Bama to its best season in school history in 2022-23, but there will be plenty of new faces on the court for the Crimson Tide this winter.

One familiar face that will be returning is guard Jahvon Quinerly. Quinerly waited until the last minute before announcing that he would play another season in Tuscaloosa. The seasoned guard has already played in 123 collegiate games, including 98 at Alabama with 40 starts. He has averaged 11.7 points and 3.7 assists per game in three seasons with the Crimson Tide.

Quinerly’s announcement followed a similar declaration by backcourt mate Mark Sears. Veterans Quinerly and Sears will join forces with incoming transfers Aaron Estrada and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. in 2023-24. When you factor in rising sophomore wing Rylan Griffen, who showed flashes as a true freshman and could have a breakout season, Bama will be set in the backcourt.

The priority for Alabama Basketball is to add quality bodies in the frontcourt. Bama needs size up front, both in the form of depth pieces and perhaps at least one starting-caliber player.

North Dakota State transfer Grant Nelson is considered the top player still in the portal, and could fill a need for the Crimson Tide. He withdrew from the NBA Draft at the deadline, and is expected to visit Alabama.

The 6’11” forward would give Bama some of the requisite size and length it is missing down low. Additionally, Nelson is supremely skilled and athletic for his size, and moves more like a wing. He could be a matchup nightmare offensively, attacking from the perimeter or in face-up situations while also providing a switchable shot-blocking presence on defense.

A common knock on Nelson’s game is that he is thin, much like incoming Bama freshman Sam Walters. He would have to prove that he could hold his own physically against SEC bigs. Considering his advanced skill set, Nelson also isn’t a great shooter.

In my opinion, this won’t be as big of an issue for Alabama as it would be for other teams. Bama will be guard-oriented and should have no problem stretching the floor with shooters. For comparison, Noah Clowney played a very similar role to the one Nelson would assume, and he excelled. Clowney wasn’t a great shooter, but he was respectable and that was often good enough.

Grant Nelson is a hot name in the transfer portal, and Alabama Basketball will likely have to outbid several other prominent programs to win his services. Expect SEC rivals such as Arkansas and Kentucky to vie for the standout forward.