It's clear what Nate Oats is looking for in the Transfer Portal - and in high school recruiting now - as he builds Alabama's roster for the foreseeable future.
In the last few years, Alabama has leaned perhaps too far into being a finesse-type team and getting away from the blue-collar roots in which Oats built the program. It's hard to argue with the results: a Final Four, Elite Eight, and Sweet 16 in the most successful run in program history.
Oats is clearly tired of Alabama getting bullied against the bigger, more physical teams. His activity in the Transfer Portal is a reflection of that, with the Crimson Tide adding commitments from hyper-athletic and physical bigs Brandon Garrison (Kentucky) and Jamarion Davis-Fleming (Mississippi State)
Both also bring versatility, and signal a change in defensive philosophy from Alabama's normal drop-coverage. You can expect a lot more switching one through five next season.
Along with the skillset, Oats is recruiting an attitude. And Davis-Fleming has the exact attitude and mentality that Oats wants, and that will fit in perfectly with blue-collar basketball.
"Defensively, you are getting a dog," Davis-Fleming told 247's Brett Greenberg. "If I have to guard the best player, I don't care if it's one through five, I will guard them. I am not going to let anyone bully me or bully us. That is going to be the biggest thing."
Jamarion Davis-Fleming is bringing a defense first mentality to Alabama
Davis-Fleming and Garrison will both bring some much-needed athleticism and switchability to Alabama's frontcourt next season. Neither will have the upside that Aiden Sherrell did on that end of the floor, but they will bring a much different dynamic to the court.
Both are high-level athletes who can go up and catch lobs from Alabama's penetrating guards. They can also both handle the ball a bit and even initiate some offense. They both have some stretch potential as shooters, but they'll spend a lot more time around the dunker's spot, ready to catch lobs and going up to compete for offensive rebounds.
The defensive end is where both should really make a difference for Alabama. They can both contest and block shots at the rim. And neither will get bullied inside, especially Davis-Fleming if his words are prescient.
Oats still has some work to do in building Alabama's roster. But it's clear the approach has changed this offseason, and next year's Tide team will have a much deeper focus on the defensive end of the court.
Oats can point to the direct evidence as to why that needs to happen, too. In two of Oats' seven seasons as Alabama's head coach, the Crimson Tide finished with a defensive efficiency mark inside KenPom's Top 5.
They won the SEC regular season and tournament championships both years.
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