North Carolina's loss could be Alabama's gain.
On Monday, 5-star PG Dylan Mingo officially reopened his recruitment. That possibility had been widely discussed since UNC fired Hubert Davis after the Heels' stunning NCAA Tournament collapse against VCU. The circumstances were a bit surprising, however, with North Carolina beat writers framing it as the Heels "parting ways" with Mingo.
That curious choice could work to Alabama's advantage.
Mingo was an Alabama target throughout the recruitment process. The 6-foot-5 point guard took an official visit to Tuscaloosa back in the fall, but Nate Oats and company ultimately didn't make his final list of schools before he committed to North Carolina. Alabama was still heavily pursuing Caleb Holt at that time, and maybe didn't put enough of a full-court press on Mingo.
With Holt now committed to Arizona, and Alabama having a substantial hole in the backcourt with Labaron Philon turning pro and Aden Holloway's future up in the air, now would be the perfect time for Oats to turn up the heat and heavily pursue the No. 5 overall recruit in the 2026 class.
Dylan Mingo could be the answer to Alabama's Labaron Philon question
Replacing Philon won't be easy. He was an All-SEC 1st Team performer as a sophomore, averaging 22 points and 5 assists per game, making a major leap in his second season with the Crimson Tide. Expecting Mingo to replicate those numbers would be foolish, but it's imperative that Alabama lands a guard or two this offseason to rebuild its backcourt.
Mingo isn't much of a shooter at this stage of his career - he shot juts 23% on the Nike EYBL circuit last summer. But that's not a prerequisite for an Oats guard, as so many seem to believe.
Alabama's best regular-season ever in 2022-23 was with freshman point guard Jaden Bradley running the point. He hit seven threes the entire season, and Alabama still won the SEC regular season and tournament championships on its way to earning the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Philon was far from an elite, or even good, shooter as a freshman a year ago, either. He connected on just 31.5% of his attempts from deep in his first season in Tuscaloosa.
Mingo becoming a better shooter will likely determine his NBA future. There's no better system for him to be pumped full of confidence than Alabama. And even if the shot doesn't come around, his ability off the bounce and as a defender will make him incredibly useful in the Crimson Tide's system, especially if Oats can surround him with other shooters.
Mingo's level of interest in Alabama at this stage is unknown, but Oats should make contact and gauge whether convincing the 5-star to come to Tuscaloosa is a possibility.
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