If way-too-early projections have any merit, four SEC basketball teams will be in the top three seed lines next March. Joey Brackets has Alabama and Arkansas as 3-seeds, with Texas a 2-seed and Florida a 1-seed. Not far behind are Tennessee and Kentucky as 5-seeds and Vanderbilt as a 6-seed.
Lunardi has four more SEC teams in his current projection: Georgia, Missouri, and Auburn are 8-seeds, and Texas A&M is projected as a 9-seed. Will Wade's evolving roster, heavy on international professional experience, is projected as the First Team Out.
Lunardi's projected seedings rate Alabama higher than some credible sources and their too-early rankings. Jeff Goodman has Alabama as the SEC's No. 6 team. Above the Crimson Tide, beginning with Florida at No. 1, are No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Tennessee, No. 4 Arkansas and No. 5 Kentucky.
Bart Torvik's model has seven SEC teams among the top 23 teams in Division 1. Florida is No. 3, Texas No. 12, Tennessee No. 17, Alabama No. 19, Arkansas No. 20, Kentucky No. 22, and Vanderbilt No. 23. Alabama has seven SEC regular-season games against the other six teams, including four road games against the Longhorns, Vols, Hogs, and Wildcats.
Nate Oats balked at coming close to Indiana's $4 million deal to add Aiden Sherrell. No Alabama player is believed to be getting anywhere near that kind of money.
Alabama Basketball Opponents Verified NIL Deals
- Kentucky Wildcats - Milan Momcilovic - 6'8" PF - $6 million; Zoom Diallo - 6'3" PG - $4 million; Alex Wilkins - 6'5" SG - $2.2 million
- Florida Gators - Thomas Haugh - 6'9" PF - $5 million
- Texas A&M Aggies - PJ Haggerty - 6'3" SG - $4 million
- Tennessee Vols - Juke Harris - 6'7" SG - $4 million; Dai Dai Ames 6'2" PG - $3 million; Jalen Haralson 6'6" SF - $3 million
- Texas Longhorns - David Punch 6'7" PF - $4 million; Isaiah Johnson 6'1" PG - $3.5 million
- Arkansas Razorbacks - Jeremiah Wilkinson - 6' PG - $2.5 million
On3 has verified all the NIL numbers listed above. Their total compensation could be more through a school's revenue-share funds. Total roster player costs are not known, but with Kentucky spending $12.2 million on three players, the Wildcats' player payroll is likely well over $30 million.
With a player budget purportedly less than $15 million, Alabama cannot match such high-dollar spending. But Alabama has Nate Oats, whose system of play and bold coaching can overcome spending disparities. At least four of the teams listed above have an outstanding coach. Nate Oats and his staff will need to outcoach them all.
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