It's only four games into the season, but one thing has quickly become clear about this Alabama basketball team: their ceiling is as high as any team in the country, and they've already vastly outplayed preseason expectations for a team that lost a significant amount of production from last season.
Nate Oats wanted to put his team through the ringer immediately. Three of Alabama's four games have come against Top 10 opponents: No. 5 St. John's, No. 2 Purdue, and then No. 8 Illinois in Chicago on Wednesday night.
After Alabama's 90-86 win over the Illini, the Crimson Tide has now earned two quality wins away from Tuscaloosa, adding a win at the United Center over Illinois to a resume that already included a win over St. John's at Madison Square Garden.
Star guard Labaron Philon took the Crimson Tide home down the stretch, scoring nine straight points and 10 of the final 15 points to lift Alabama to the win. The sophomore looked every bit like an NBA guard, totally in control of everything.
Philon's performance down the stretch, combined with the team's effort on both ends of the court, allowed Alabama to overcome off nights from Aden Holloway and Latrell Wrightsell, and had Oats ready to make a bold statement in his post-game press conference.
"He's an Alabama kid that wants to take Alabama further than it's ever gone before," Oats said regarding Philon. ..."He came back to compete for a national championship, and I think we got a team that can do it."
Nate Oats believes Alabama basketball can compete for a National Championship
Winning the whole thing is the only mountain Oats and Alabama haven't yet climbed. He has taken the program in seven years to heights most Tide hoops fans could never have realistically dreamed of. Close, but not good enough was always the mantra for basketball in Tuscaloosa.
Oats has busted through Alabama's Sweet 16 glass ceiling two years in a row, leading the Tide to the Final Four in 2024 and the Elite Eight in 2025. Alabama has been the most consistent program in college basketball the last three years.
Winning the NCAA Tournament is the hardest postseason to win. A single elimination tournament, where you have to win six games in a row, and one off shooting night can sink even elite teams. Alabama's 2023 team was the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament but got bounced by San Diego State in the Sweet 16 because it went 3-of-27 from three.
Plenty of elite coaches have never won the whole thing. Mark Few at Gonzaga immediately comes to mind. All you can do is constantly get your team to the dance and maximize the number of swings you get at it. Oats is doing that, and winning a National Championship is no longer an unrealistic goal.
Alabama has the guard play to compete with anyone. Philon is as good as any. Holloway and Wrightsell will have many better nights than they had in Chicago. And the return from injury of Tarleton State transfer Keitenn Bristow injected some toughness and rebounding to a frontcourt that sorely needed it.
One of Alabama's most talented players - Miami (FL) transfer Jalil Bethea - isn't even playing yet as he recovers from a broken toe.
This team is deep, talented, and already battle-tested. We'll find out how far this team actually goes, but in just four games, it has proven that its ceiling is the last team standing in April.