Alabama Basketball: Recent rankings project Bama as SEC’s fifth-best

There is an important week ahead for Alabama Basketball. Arguably the top player in the Transfer Portal, Grant Nelson will visit Tuscaloosa. It is anticipated that highly valued Jarin Stevenson will decide to reclassify to 2023 and announce his college choice.

Nate Oats has other options if either one or both prized prospects choose another program. Almost no college basketball recruiting experts project Nelson, Stevenson, or any of the other options to join the Crimson Tide. Alabama basketball insiders are more optimistic about both Nelson and Stevenson.

Without an addition of a pair of solid ‘bigs,’ the 2023-24 Alabama Basketball roster will be lacking. A good to very good recruiting class will help. The Crimson Tide’s Portal additions, especially, Aaron Estrada will provide a scoring boost. But so far, Nate Oats has no replacement for Brandon Miller, Noah Clowney and Charles Bediako.

Some good news is Nate Oats has plenty of available minutes to entice Nelson and Stevenson. Plus the success of Miller and Clowney shows Alabama provides a clear path to the NBA.

Recent projected team rankings for next season benefitted from added data after the NBA Draft early entry deadline passed. 2023-24 rosters are far from settled, but teams are closer to being settled.

Alabama Basketball Season Projections

Current projections from multiple sources have the Alabama Crimson Tide as the SEC’s fourth or fifth-best team in the 2023-24 season.

ESPN has five SEC teams in a Top 25. According to ESPN, the Tennessee Vols will be the SEC’s best team, with a No. 5 ranking. Next are the Arkansas Razorbacks at No. 14, followed the Texas A&M Aggies at No. 17. The Alabama Crimson Tide edges out the Kentucky Wildcats at No. 23 for the fourth spot, with the Cats at No. 24. Two more SEC teams, Mississippi State and Auburn were listed outside the Top 25, in a small group defined as “next in line.”

John Calipari has a mess in Lexington. His five-man freshmen class is outstanding, but after Portal entries, only two more players are sure to return.

Another measurement of roster talent is provided by an Andy Katz Bracketology. Katz has seven SEC teams making the 2024 NCAA Tournament. He has Arkansas as a 4-seed. with Kentucky next as a 5-seed. A pair of SEC teams are projected as 6-seeds, Tennessee and Texas A&M. Alabama Basketball and Mississippi State are projected as 7-seeds. The Auburn Tigers are tabbed as a 9-seed.

In his most recent Power 36 Team Rankings, Katz has Alabama at No. 28, below five other SEC teams.