Amid plenty of success in the Transfer Portal and a high school recruiting class that featured two composite 5-stars and another 4-star, it shouldn't get lost that Nate Oats also did excellent work in roster retention for Alabama.
Key players from last year, Amari Allen, Aden Holloway, and London Jemison, will all be back in Tuscaloosa. Allen and Holloway were already in starring roles last season, and the rising sophomore Jemison could be in store for that next year after announcing his return in April.
Jemison was in the rotation throughout his freshman season and earned 13 starts, putting together averages of 6.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while shooting 34.8% from three-point range. He did that in 15.5 minutes a night, a number that should go up during his sophomore season.
Jemison should be one of the players who benefits the most from Oats' portal additions in the frontcourt. Jemison is a more natural wing, but was forced to play the four, and even the small-ball five, during his debut season with the Crimson Tide. With the portal additions of Brandon Garrison, Jamarion Davis-Fleming, and Drew Fielder - along with the returns of Keitenn Bristow and Collins Onyejiaka - Jemison should never play a minute at the five and will play sparingly at the four when Oats wants to go small.
The former Top 40 national recruit in the 2025 class could be one of the biggest breakout players in the SEC for 2026-27. Jon Rothstein seems to think so.
Jon Rothstein lists London Jemison among 5 breakout candidates in the SEC
5 SEC Breakout Players. pic.twitter.com/pZ6Xlelapj
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) July 1, 2026
Jemison is penciled in as the starter at small forward in my projected starting lineup for next season. He would be joined by Allen and Holloway in the backcourt, along with Fielder and Garrison in the frontcourt. That would give Oats a much bigger lineup than any he has been able to run out the last couple of seasons.
Jemison will likely face competition for a starting role with a pair of true freshman 5-stars. Qayden Samuels and Jaxon Richardson will be difficult to keep off the court, but Jemison has the experience edge. Richardson, in particular, has been making waves during practices this summer and looks like a player who is going to force his way into the rotation, if not the starting lineup, immediately.
That kind of competition is healthy for a roster. It should bring out the best in Jemison and the pair of freshmen.
Regardless of who starts, Jemison will play a significant role for Alabama next season. Oats has built a deep, talented, and versatile roster that will be able to match up with any team on the schedule.
If Jemison can take a sophomore leap, with better finishing ability at the rim and better three-point shooting being paramount for that, then Alabama's ceiling will increase.
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