With All-American Mark Sears strongly considering the NBA Draft and sharpshooter Latrell Wrightsell Jr. also weighing his options, Alabama Basketball could very well be in need of some backcourt additions.
Bama has already landed a pair of knockdown shooters via the portal. USF product Chris Youngblood and Pepperdine transfer Houston Mallette are both polished scorers who connect on over 40 percent of their three-point tries. However, both project to play off-ball roles in the Crimson Tide backcourt.
With just two wings and a big joining Bama in the 2024 recruiting class, Nate Oats could be left without a single lead guard in the boat should Sears and Wrightsell move on.
Oats has already made public efforts to add talent at the position, with former Auburn point guard Aden Holloway visiting Tuscaloosa this week. Holloway was a 5-star recruit in the class of 2023 and had an up-and-down freshman year on the Plains. He did manage to start 26 games and gain some valuable experience with the Tigers. Holloway is a quality lead guard in the SEC, but Alabama would be depending on him to make some significant improvements, particularly as a shooter.
There is also the hope that Bama is an option for 2024 5-star point guard Boogie Fland. Fland listed the Tide as one of his three finalists before committing to Kentucky back in October. However, he has re-opened his recruitment in the wake of the Wildcats’ coaching change. Like Holloway, Fland would be a very good point guard and may even be ready to start in year one.
Even if Alabama is able to land one or both of these players (the latter of which seems highly unlikely), it may need to add another guard via the transfer portal to provide a veteran presence in the backcourt. Perhaps Youngblood could serve as that steadying force, but some additional depth would certainly be of benefit.
Coach Oats has a long offseason ahead to figure out his backcourt situation. If his track record offers any indication, he will put together a group that gives Alabama a chance to contend for the SEC.