As soon as it was announced that Arizona was signing Tommy Lloyd to a huge extension, there was worry among the Alabama faithful that the Tar Heels might shift their focus to Nate Oats. He's been linked to the open job from the moment Hubert Davis was fired.
Aden Holloway just took his first major step in returning to Alabama basketball
However, it looks like Oats is staying put in Tuscaloosa and he's getting quite the raise to do so. Moments ago, athletic director Greg Byrne announced via Yea Alabama that Oats has been given a new contract and he's set to be one of the five highest-paid coaches in all of college basketball. Whoa:
🚨BREAKING: Nate Oats has signed a new contract that will make him one of the top five compensated men’s basketball coaches in the country. Appropriate members of The Board of Trustees have been notified of the proposed terms of the new agreement and it will soon be formally… pic.twitter.com/C1EMJGvOQy
— Yea Alabama (@yea_ala) April 5, 2026
Nate Oats is getting a huge raise from Alabama to stay put in Tuscaloosa
Another option off the board for North Carolina? That appears to be the case, though the recent buzz has been that UNC has been focused on other candidates. With that said, this major update from Byrne and Alabama confirms that Oats won't be ACC-bound.
Instead, he's staying in the SEC and he's going to be ready to hit the ground running once the transfer portal officially opens up. Alabama and Oats are going to be aggressive in going after top talent, while also making sure Bama studs also stay put.
This was a fantastic season for the Crimson Tide, but a loss to Michigan in the Sweet 16 was disappointing to see. However, that doesn't take away from what Alabama was able to get done, as the Wolverines have been one of the best teams this campaign and they're one win away from winning it all.
As for the Tide, Oats has people believing that the program will be ready to push for a Final Four sooner rather than later and that he has things moving in the right direction. Getting this new deal done was a no-brainer, as any and all distractions are wiped away and Alabama can now focus on being major players in the portal once it officially opens.