Nate Oats revealed on Wednesday that freshman big man Collins Onyejiaka would be out indefinitely with what Oats described as a "medical condition." Oats didn't go further than that with his description, but it's another early blow to Alabama basketball's depth.
Onyejiaka was a late addition to the 2025 roster. Originally part of the 2026 class, Onyejiaka committed and signed with the Crimson Tide over the summer and reclassified into the 2025 class to join the roster immediately.
While unlikely to play major minutes this season with sophomore Aiden Sherrell and senior Bucknell transfer Noah Williamson ahead of him, he looked likely to garner some spot minutes here and there.
Onyejiaka played in both of the Crimson Tide's games so far this season, logging six minutes in the opener against North Dakota and being called upon for five minutes against St. John's on Saturday due to foul trouble. Having a 6-foot-11, 265-pounder sitting on the bench who you can call upon for a few minutes here and there was a luxury for Oats that he won't have now, at least for a while.
Alabama's frontcourt depth could be a liability against Purdue
Along with Onyejiaka being out indefinitely, Oats stated that sophomore Tarleton State transfer forward Keitenn Bristow is "highly doubtful" to play against Purdue on Thursday.
With those two out, that will leave Alabama with the two true centers in Sherrell and Williamson, and then only one true forward in Taylor Bol Bowen. Freshmen wings Amari Allen and London Jemison will log plenty of minutes at the four, and Bol Bowen will undoubtedly play up as the small-ball five at times like he did against St. John's.
Alabama is also still without Miami (FL) transfer guard Jail Bethea, who had surgery to repair a broken toe before the season. Bethea's absence, coupled with Bristow's injury and Onyejiaka's medical condition, means that the Crimson Tide only has 10 healthy scholarship players available against Purdue.
That means it will be imperative that the Crimson Tide avoids foul trouble against the Boilermakers. That won't be easy against a team that loves to attack the paint and dump the ball inside to their talented big men.
Sherrell and Williamson spent the entire afternoon against St. John's in foul trouble. If they can replicate that against Purdue, Alabama will be in big trouble.