Nate Oats is building quite the impressive list of official visitors this fall for Alabama basketball, putting the Crimson Tide in position to sign one of the best classes since his arrival.
The latest to confirm visit plans is the highest ranked prospect yet.
5-star guard Ikenna Alozie, the No. 10 overall player in the 247 composite, will be in Tuscaloosa for a visit over the weekend of September 6th, per On3's Joe Tipton.
He will be joined that weekend in Tuscaloosa by two highly-ranked wings: 4-stars Christopher Washington Jr. (#31 in the composite) and Tarris Bouie (#44).
Back in June, Alozie trimmed his list down to eight schools: Alabama, Arizona, Gonzaga, Houston, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, and Washington. Alabama is the first of the eight schools to receive a confirmed official from the elite guard, signaling that his interest in Oats and company is serious.
Oats has a proven track record in developing guards. Both Kira Lewis Jr. and Josh Primo were lottery picks, and Labaron Philon is a projected first-rounder in the 2026 draft class. Oats' system is guard dominant, and allows a lot more freedom than most. It has proven to be a very attractive landing spot for some of the most talented guards in the country.
Alozie fits the bill. While only 6-foot-2, he's an explosive athlete capable of getting to the rim at will and then finishing above it. He also has a 6-foot-6 wingspan and uses that length to be a disruptive defender.
Alozie is the latest blue-chip prospect to set up a visit to Alabama
Alabama's official visit schedule this fall is stacked. Oats has lined up some of the top players in the country to come to Tuscaloosa this fall. The schedule is set up as follows:
September 6th: Ikenna Alozie (#10), Christopher Washington Jr. (#31), Tarris Bouie (#44)
September 13th: Deron Rippey Jr. (#17), Jaxon Richardson (#19)
October 18th: Cole Cloer (#24)
So far, the visits Oats has set up have been guard and wing-heavy. Rippey and Alozie are on-ball guards, and the rest are wings listed 6-foot-6 or taller.
Guard will undoubtedly be a need for the 2026 Crimson Tide; Philon's unexpected return was a big boost for this year's team, but it would take something unexpected for him to return to Tuscaloosa for a third season. Similarly, Miami (FL) transfer Jalil Bethea could parlay a strong season at Alabama into early entry in the NBA Draft.
Latrell Wrightsell and Houston Mallette will both exhaust their eligibility after this season.
Oats has consistently signed highly regarded classes in his time with the Crimson Tide, but the 2026 cycle could turn out to be his best yet. He and lead assistant Preston Muprhy will still have to close the deal, but getting them on campus is the first battle.