Alabama suffers major blow with blossoming sophomore big man's departure

With the big-man market across college basketball exploding, it's not exactly a surprise, but Alabama sophomore center Aiden Sherrell's decision to enter the Transfer Portal is still a tremendous blow for Nate Oats and the Crimson Tide.

It's also another stark reminder of the nature of college sports these days. You can never get too attached to any player because they can just up and leave. Even when their developmental path and role continues to expand and be on the right track.

Sherrell made a tremendous leap from his freshman-to-sophomore campaigns in Tuscaloosa. He went from a bench big averaging just under nine minutes per game last year to one of the best centers in the SEC as a sophomore. He averaged 11 points and 6 rebounds per game while adding over two blocks a night, blossoming into a two-way force in the middle for the Crimson Tide.

Another leap should be expected for the former 5-star recruit, but that will leap will happen somewhere other than Tuscaloosa:

Alabama starting center Aiden Sherrell is entering the Transfer Portal

The asking price for some of the top centers in the portal has been astronomical. It's the type of numbers that certainly made their way to Sherrell and his agent, and the star big man is ready to cash in.

Replacing him won't be easy, but Alabama is not in a position to overpay for any one player. Nate Oats has shown a reluctance to do it, and this won't be any different of a case.

Sherrell will have a long list of suitors. His offensive game continued to develop, and he's a true stretch-five. He knocked down just under 34% of his three-pointers this year on 80 attempts.

The biggest surprise for Sherrell in his growth was how much improvement he showed as a shot blocker and rim protector. He went from a total of seven blocks as a freshman to 76 as a sophomore, finishing near the top of the SEC.