Alabama needs a healthy Latrell Wrightsell to return to the Final Four

Alabama basketball guard Latrell Wrightsell is one of five returning players from last season's Final Four team. He brings with him leadership, defensive acumen, and as dynamic of shot making as you'll find anywhere in the country.

Wrightsell had an unbelivable shooting season for the Crimson Tide. Wrightsell spent three years at Cal State Fullteron and showed the potential to be a good shooter, hitting 38% of his attempts in his final season there.

He went well above that in Tuscaloosa, connecting on just shy of 45% of his three's. He also didn't miss a single free throw, going 27/27 from the line. Wrightsell's game a year ago was pretty strictly spent behind the three point line. He attempted 152 three's and only 52 two's. Hitting that high percentage from beyond the ark led to a ridiculous effective field goal percentage of 61%.

Wrightsell had the highest NET rating of regular rotational guys for Alabama last season. Alabama was a better defense with Wrightsell on the floor. And on offense, they were one of the best in the entire country with him playing.

Wrightsell suffered two separate head injures last season. The first came in a February game against Ole Miss and caused him to miss four games and the majority of a fifth. Alabama went 2-2 in that stretch (2-3 if you count the Florida game he only played eight minutes in).

Wrightsell suffered another injury in the NCAA Tournament in the second round against Grand Canyon, banging his head while diving for a loose ball. Wrightsell missed the remainder of that game, and was held out in the Sweeet 16 and Elite 8. Alabama rallied together without Wrightsell to get past North Carolina and Clemson and into the Final Four.

Wrightsell returned for the Final Four against UConn, but the Crimson Tide didn't have quite enough firepower to get past a truly dominate Huskies squad.

But Alabama loaded up in the transfer portal and via one of the best recruiting classes in the country. This team is deep in the backcourt and the frontcourt.

There's more guys to take on some of the load in the backcourt where the wasn't last season. The addition of transfer guards Chris Youngblood and Aden Holloway, as well as freshman Labaron Philon, makes the Tide much deeper than they were a year ago.

Even still, Wrightsell is one of the team's most important players. His ability to defend and knock down shots at that high of a level makes him indispensable.

If Alabama wants to make it back to the Final Four, and take it one step forward and win the whole thing, it needs Wrightsell fully healthy and raining three's.