Alabama Basketball 2024-25 player previews: Mouhamed Dioubate

Deep NCAA Tournament runs often require an unsung hero stepping up and delivering in crucial moments. For Alabama basketball last season, that player was Mouhamed Dioubate.

In the round 32 matchup against Grand Canyon, Dioubate had his name called by Nate Oats, with the Crimson Tide needing an infusion of toughness and grit. Grand Canyon had outhustled and out-toughed the Tide for most of the night.

With 5:30 left in the game and the Crimson Tide trailing by a point, Dioubate came up with several big plays down the stretch. Mark Sears missed a rare free throw, and Dioubate came up with an offensive rebound and put-back and-one that gave Alabama the lead for good.

In all, Dioubate scored nine of the Crimson Tide's final 15 points in a 72-61 win that propelled Alabama into the second weekend of the Big Dance.

Dioubate would be primed for an increased role in year two if Alabama didn't have one of the deepest rosters in the country. Even still, I think Dioubate will be someone who Oats has trouble keeping off the floor.

Because while the counting stats weren't, and probably won't be, big, he impacts the game in all the little areas when he's out there.

He's a versatile defender with the ability to guard three or four positions. I wouldn't love him as the point-of-attack defender on the point, but I don't think it would be a big mismatch, either. He can guard on the wing and he can bang in the post. It was noted in Alabama's recent scrimmage that he held up pretty well defending Cliff Omoruyi.

Dioubate produced a 4.7 NET rating last season, and was one of the highest rated individual defenders. He has a great second jump and produced a 14.9 offensive rebounding rate last season.

The biggest improvement that would help Dioubate see more minutes is if he can improve his shot. He only attempted 11 three-pointers last season, hitting only one. That has been a point of emphasis for him in the offseason, and in last week's scrimmage he looked more confident with improved mechanics:

He doesn't have to shoot it at Mark Sears or Latrell Wrightsell levels, but if he can be a 30% shooter from three, it opens up the floor for him.

As of now, for a projected role, Dioubate will be frontcourt depth. The starting frontcourt will almost certainly be Grant Nelson and Omoruyi. Sophomore Jarin Stevenson and true freshman Aiden Sherrell will also be in line for minutes, and I wouldn't count out freshman Derrion Reid playing some minutes at the four.

But Dioubate will play. I haven't mapped out exactly how yet, but he plays too hard and has too many intangibles to sit the bench. He'll be a guy Oats uses to send a message to some of the other players on the team who might be more talented, but might not play with as much energy and effort as Dioubate.

Projected Role: Frontcourt rotational piece