Nate Oats has made it crystal clear how he feels about former NBA G League players coming to college basketball. Earlier this month, the Alabama head coach said, “On a competitive level, if it's allowable, and they're going to be eligible to play, and they're the better players that you can get, then you probably have to go after them."
That’s exactly what he did with Charles Bediako, his former center, who, on Wednesday, was granted a restraining order against the NCAA to allow him to be immediately eligible. Bediako last played for the Tide in the 2022-23 season, averaging 6.4 points and 6.0 rebounds as a sophomore. He declared for the NBA draft after the season and has spent the last three years in pro basketball.
Now Bediako is back in Tuscaloosa, but Oats may not be done adding talent from pro basketball to his roster because one of his former recruiting targets is considering leaving the G League to play college basketball for the first time.
NEWS: Westchester Knicks guard Dink Pate is increasingly exploring college options, his agent Sam Permut of Roc Nation tells DraftExpress. The 19-year-old former G League Ignite product has declined multiple two-way offers from NBA teams to preserve his NCAA eligibility. pic.twitter.com/S4HCJp0ch4
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) January 21, 2026
Nate Oats should target 2023 4-star recruit Dink Pate as Alabama's next former G Leaguer
Dink Pate was the No. 29 recruit in the 2023 class before opting for a pro career with G League Ignite, the now-defunct pathway for top high school talent to have an expedited path to the NBA. However, before going pro, he took an unofficial visit to Alabama in September 2022 after receiving an offer from Oats that summer.
After his one season with Ignite, the 6-foot-8 guard found his way to the Mexico City Capitanes of the G League in 2024-25, and this season is a star for the Westchester Knicks, averaging 18.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists while shooting 41 percent from the field and 41 percent from three.
According to Jonathan Givony, the 19-year-old has declined multiple two-way offers in the NBA to preserve his NCAA eligibility. His eligibility case would be a bit more cut-and-dry than Bediako’s, as Pate never played college basketball and never declared for the NBA Draft, effectively forgoing his eligibility. And Bediako is eligible to play, so Pate shouldn’t have much issue.
Whether you like it or not, former G League players are beginning to fill college basketball rosters. It’s a rare chance to add talent, especially midseason, and Oats should explore it with a player who is already on the cusp of the NBA and playing exceptionally well in Year 3 of his pro career.
It could be tough for Pate to get up to speed this season, wherever he ultimately ends up, but he could be one of the top players in the country for the 2026-27 season. Maybe that’s at Alabama. It’s at least worth exploring.