Mo Dioubate keeps stacking hard hats, embodies what Alabama basketball is all about

I don't think I've ever heard Nate Oats talk about a player with more affection than he does when he talks about Herb Jones. He's starting to talk about sophomore Mo Dioubate in the same vein.

Dioubate has come up huge in Alabama basketball's two wins in the Players Era Festival so far. In Tuesday night's game against Houston, Dioubate finished with his first career double-double, a monster 10-point, 16-rebound effort. He also blocked three shots. Oats said the matchup with Houston was a "Mo Dioubate game," and he delivered.

On Wednesday night, Dioubate was big again for the Crimson Tide in its win over Rutgers. He played great on the defensive end and fell just two rebounds shy of a second straight double-double. He finished with 10 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. He had a couple more blocks taken away from his stat line thanks to questionable foul calls too.

"He's what we embody," said Oats about Dioubate following the Rutgers game. "It would be stupid to not find more minutes for him the way he's playing."

Dioubate came into the season with an uncertain role on a deep team. The sophomore didn't have a big role as a freshman, but you could see the potential of what he could do. He came up huge down the stretch in Alabama's second-round NCAA Tournament win over Grand Canyon, a game they likely don't pull out on the way to the Final Four without him.

Dioubate is earning his role this season, and making it impossible to keep him off the court. He played 28 minutes against Houston and another 25 against Rutgers.

He is probably Alabama's best defender. He's not in a mismatch regardless of any switch. He's capable of defending on-ball guards and opposing centers. He's an excellent offensive rebounder thanks to an explosive second jump. He makes winning plays over and over again.

And it's clear that Dioubate spent a lot of time in the gym over the offseason to improve his shot. Three point shooting isn't likely to be a major part of his game, but his being a passable shooter is huge for his progression. He was 1/11 from three last season and is 3/8 as a sophomore. He shot just 47% from the free throw line as a freshman but is 11/12 to start this season.

Dioubate is looking more and more like a Herb Jones clone. It's fitting that Oats is starting to talk about him in the same way he does Jones.

Dioubate has gone from a speciality player to a guy who you hate taking off the court because good things happen when he's out there.