Nate Oats just got the news every Alabama fan was hoping for

Latrell Wrightsell Jr. played a significant role in Alabama’s 2024 Final Four run, but his 2024-25 season was cut short due to an Achilles injury he suffered against Oregon in late November, just eight games into the year. Last season was expected to be the fifth-year senior’s final collegiate campaign, but now the former Cal State Fullerton transfer is back after being granted a medical redshirt year. 

Wrightsell was expected to be granted the additional eligibility, but this announcement makes it official. 

Latrell Wrightsell Jr.’s return secures Alabama’s place asa  national title contender

Wrightsell joins a loaded list of returners and is likely to start in the backcourt alongside Labaron Philon, who opted to return to Tuscaloosa for his sophomore season after testing the NBA Draft waters, and Aden Holloway, who often came off the bench to spell Mark Sears at point guard in his first season after transferring from Auburn. Philon and Holloway both averaged over 10 points a game for the Crimson Tide. 

In his limited action last season, Wrightsell averaged 11.5 points and 2.0 assists while shooting 50 percent from the field, 42 percent from three, and 85 percent from the free throw line. Nate Oats will have a lot of mouths to feed in his backcourt with that trio, along with former five-star Jalil Bethea, who arrived at Alabama following a disastrous freshman season with the Miami Hurricanes. However, Wrightsell’s low-usage play style will allow him to fit seamlessly alongside any backcourt combination as Oats looks to leverage his roster’s playmaking depth into another deep NCAA Tournament run. 

Though he managed just eight games before his season-ending injury, Wrightsell put up those impressive numbers with just a 16.9 percent usage rate (33rd percentile according to CBB analytics). A high-volume knockdown three-point shooter, over 80 percent of Wrightsell’s field goal attempts came from beyond the arc. His 71 percent true shooting percentage was 99th percentile. 

Wrightsell’s return was the expectation, but now that it’s confirmed, Alabama will have the crucial shooting depth in the backcourt that it will need to contend at the top of the SEC. Florida and Auburn may boast more talent on their rosters through impressive transfer portal hauls after Final Four appearances, but Alabama’s cohesion with Philon, Holloway, and Wrightsell all back will give the team an edge, especially early in the season.