Tuscaloosa native and Kennesaw State guard Adrian Wooley - the Conference USA's freshman of the year - will enter the Transfer Portal, per a report from On3's Joe Tipton.
Kennesaw State guard Adrian Wooley is entering the transfer portal, source tells @On3sports.
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) March 26, 2025
The 6-5 freshman from Tuscaloosa, AL averaged 18.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game this season. Shot 42% from three. All-CUSA 1st Team and ROY.https://t.co/P2CLLLO2iq pic.twitter.com/YWyGdt5Ev2
Wooley started at Paul Bryant High School in Tuscaloosa before signing with Kennesaw State as a lightly recruited combo guard. Wooley was a revelation in his freshman season for the Owls, averaging 18.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game as a true freshman on impressive shooting splits of 51/42/77.
Wooley helped Kennesaw State to a 19-14 record in 2024-25 and a 4th place finish in the Conference USA. He will be one of the more sought after guards in the portal after an outstanding freshman season that raised his profile nationally.
Wooley scored 20+ points in 15 games this season, including a 28-point performance in the C-USA Tournament semifinal against Liberty, where the Owls nearly upset the Flames. Liberty held on 81-79 and went on to beat Jacksonville State to earn the automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
Alabama has two built-in advantages for Wooley
If Alabama pushes for Wooley, then you have to like their chances for two reasons:
First, the obvious one being that Wooley is a Tuscaloosa native and this would give him an opportunity to come back home and play for the school in the city he grew up in. Alabama will have a need at guard for next season with Mark Sears graduating and Labaron Philon expected to enter the 2025 NBA Draft.
The second factor working in Alabama's favor is that Wooley's coach at Kennesaw State was Alabama legend Antoine Pettway. Pettway played for the Crimson Tide and then was an assistant coach under both Avery Johnson and Nate Oats at Alabama before he took over at Kennesaw State.
Pettway adopted a similar style of offensive basketball to what Oats brought to Tuscaloosa with him so Wooley figures to be an immediate fit in this system.
One of Pettway's best abilities as a coach has been his ability to identify talented guards. He was the biggest reason Collin Sexton came to Alabama as Pettway identified Sexton as an elite talent before everyone else.
Pettway saw something in Wooley that everyone else missed and reaped the benefits this past season. Now, Wooley will get the opportunity to take a major step up in competition next season to continue his career.