In less than a week, Alabama basketball will take the floor at Coleman Coliseum for its first of three exhibition games in the preseason. Alabama will face Furman on Thursday before battling SEC foes Ole Miss and Auburn in two more tune-ups prior to the start of the regular season on November 3rd against Sam Houston.
Nate Oats rebuilt the roster in the Transfer Portal and with an elite high school recruiting class. Alabama also brought back some talented players from last season's roster.
On paper, Oats has built a deep and talented team, but there are still several questions that need to be answered if the Crimson Tide is going to be a legitimate contender
1. What is Aden Holloway's status with the team?
All signs have pointed toward Holloway's return to the Crimson Tide this fall, but there still hasn't been an official announcement from the team or the university. Earlier this week, Holloway's felony marijuana charges were officially dropped, pointing toward his completion of the second-chance program.
But just because he's completed the legal requirements doesn't mean he's completed the team/university requirements. It remains to be seen what that entails and whether he'll be with the team to begin the preseason slate next Thursday against Furman.
Holloway is a pivotal piece of the puzzle. He averaged just under 17 points per game last season and is one of the nation's top three-point shooters, knocking down 43.8% of his 169 attempts.
Assuming Holloway is back on the team, Alabama will have one of the best backcourts in the country. Especially if the next question is answered positively.
2. Can Amari Allen make a Labaron Philon-like sophomore leap?
Amari Allen bypassed the NBA Draft, where he was a projected late first-round pick, to return to Alabama for his sophomore season. A big reason why was the example set by Labaron Philon the year before, when he turned down a similar draft slot to return to Tuscaloosa.
Philon had a monster season and was drafted 22nd overall by the Philadelphia 76ers. Allen hopes to follow a similar path, and if he can make that kind of leap, then he will be one of the top contenders for SEC Player of the Year.
Allen was outstanding as a do-it-all freshman for Alabama in 2025-26. Expect to see him with a lot more on-ball responsibilities this year.
3. Can Brandon Garrison unlock his potential in Tuscaloosa?
Oats is banking on Kentucky transfer Brandon Garrison unlocking his immense potential in Tuscaloosa. Garrison was a solid player during two years in Lexington, but often frustrated fans with a motor that ran hot and cold. Alabama will need Garrison to bring it on a nightly basis for the frontcourt to hold up.
He has the athletic ability to help Alabama fundamentally change its defensive philosophy. He also has more to his offensive game that has yet to be unlocked, which is a big reason why he ended up with the Crimson Tide. Oats' system was appealing.
Alabama is deeper in the frontcourt than they were a season ago when Aiden Sherrell was the lone playable big on the roster. If Garrison struggles, then Oats can turn to Mississippi State's Jamarion Davis-Fleming, sophomore Collins Onyejiaka, or play Boise State transfer Drew Fielder at the five.
4. Will a revamped front court and a lot more length lead to needed defensive improvement?
Alabama has to take a leap defensively to be a real contender to get to Detroit for the Final Four. The Crimson Tide finished 61st in KenPom's defensive efficiency metric, and that held them back from being one of the elite teams in the country last season. They were really good, but not great because of it.
Oats will put together a ruthlessly efficient offense that can score in bunches. But the season will come down to whether or not the defense is improved.
With bigs like Garrison and Davis-Fleming instead of Sherrell, the expectation is that Oats will be going away from drop coverage and instead switching pick-and-rolls more than ever before. Alabama's added length on the perimeter with guys like Cole Cloer, Jaxon Richardson, and Tarris Bouie joining returner London Jemison will help matters.
So, too, will Allen playing a lot more guard. Holloway will typically be the lone player shorter than 6-foot-5 on the court. Freshman Anderson Diaz will see some minutes, too, but he'll likely be out there when Holloway isn't,
The length and versatility of this roster should lead to defensive improvements. That's what it looks like on paper, at least.
5. Can Alabama's young wings grow up quickly?
Jemison is the expected starter at the 3-spot with Holloway and Allen in the backcourt and Fielder and Garrison in the frontcourt. The other minutes at the wing will come from some combination of Cloer, Richardson, and Bouie, all of whom will be logging their first ever minutes at this level.
All were highly recruited prospects, so the talent is undeniable. But that talent will have to grow up quickly for Alabama to reach its ceiling.
Jemison had a solid freshman campaign and should continue to grow. Cloer is billed as an elite shooter who should be a capable three-and-D wing right away. Richardson and Bouie are outstanding athletes who should be able to contribute with their energy and effort, if nothing else.
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