Nate Oats is aware that some changes are necessary in his roster-building strategy in order to get Alabama where he wants it to be. And where he wants it to be is as a legitimate National Championship contender. They were not that this season.
It was a good year for Alabama basketball, nonetheless. Any year of making the Sweet 16 will be viewed positively by long-time Crimson Tide fans who remember how difficult getting to that point always was for this program.
But Oats aspires for more. He wants to win the whole thing, and he knows that's possible at Alabama. The Crimson Tide is expected to be aggressive this offseason, armed with a bigger operational budget, in order for Oats to put together a championship-level roster.
In doing so, however, the Alabama head coach must not lose sight of the importance of retaining his own talent. That's something each of the four teams remaining in the NCAA Tournament has done a good job of doing, while being aggressive in the Transfer Portal.
Nate Oats needs to retain these four Alabama basketball players for 2026-27
4. London Jemison
It was an up-and-down freshman season for former 4-star recruit London Jemison, but he turned into a quality role player and started all three of Alabama's NCAA Tournament games.
Jemison has a high ceiling as a three-and-D wing, and if Alabama can build the roster the way Oats wants to for next season, Jemison could play a lot more at the three spot instead of exclusively at the four or even the five like he did this year.
Jemison shot 34.5% from three this season and seems like a guy who could push towards 40% as a sophomore, particularly with more looks from the corner. He's the exact type of versatile player on both ends that is coveted across college basketball.
3. Aden Holloway
It wasn't that long ago that I probably would have listed Aden Holloway as No. 1 on this list, but now his fate may not be up to Oats or even himself. Holloway missed the NCAA Tournament after getting arrested for felony marijuana possession and now faces the possibility of going to jail and/or being kicked out of school, depending on the Student Conduct process.
Holloway had a tremendous junior season for Alabama, averaging nearly 17 points per game and leading the Tide with 43.8% three-point shooting percentage.
He's a guy who could've tested the Transfer Portal to try and cash in for his final college season - and there would have been a long list of suitors due to his elite offensive game - but his legal trouble complicates matters and could lead to him having no other choice but to stay in Tuscaloosa for his final season.
That's, of course, assuming that everything works out and he's allowed to remain in school and play basketball.
2. Amari Allen
Amari Allen hitting the freshman wall late in the season doesn't change the fact that he was a revelation for Oats and the Crimson Tide.
Allen finished his debut season in college basketball as the Tide's third-leading scorer, third-leader in assists, and leading rebounder. The three-point shooting dropped thanks to a late-season slump, but he was consistently near 40% this year.
He has an excellent all-around game and could even theoretically be Alabama's starting two-guard next season in big lineups. The 6-foot-8 guard/wing will weigh an NBA Draft decision, but Oats has an easy sell to him based on Labaron Philon's freshman-to-sophomore jump and his resulting surge in stock.
1. Aiden Sherrell
Big men in college basketball are at a premium, and sophomore Aiden Sherrell could command a massive payday on the open market if he decides to test the Transfer Portal waters. That's a gigantic concern for Oats, and of the extra money coming in for the Crimson Tide, Oats should divert whatever it takes to bring back Sherrell.
The Detroit native made a substantial leap from his freshman season, improving his all-around offensive game and becoming a legitimate rim-deterrant by averaging over two blocks per game.
Sherrell still has plenty to work on, but entering his junior season, he'll be viewed as one of the top centers in college basketball. Oats needs to make sure that happens in Tuscaloosa.