Five reasons why Alabama Basketball is here to stay

Under Coach Nate Oats, Alabama has fairly consistently been amongst the best teams in the SEC. Heading into 2024-25, Oats figures to have one of his best teams yet and is once again expected to compete for the SEC crown.

Opposing fan bases have used all sorts of backwards logic to discredit or downplay the ascension of Bama Hoops, but the evidence suggests that Oats’ program is much more than a flash in the pan. Here are the reasons why Alabama Basketball is here to stay. 

1. Nate Oats’ loyalty to the program

Even before Alabama’s Final Four run in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, Greg Byrne saw the value in Nate Oats and was able to (presumably) lock him up. Back in mid-March, even as the Crimson Tide was struggling on the court, Byrne signed Oats to a lucrative contract extension that made him one of the highest-paid coaches in the country. 

The new contract goes through the 2029-30 season and includes annual increases that incentivize Oats to see it through. It also includes an astronomical buyout that will, in theory, deter other schools from trying to poach Oats. This extension may have paid dividends as soon as this offseason: amidst a crazy coaching carousel cycle, prestigious and attractive jobs such as Michigan and Kentucky came open, and yet Coach Oats stayed put in Tuscaloosa.

Those that have watched Oats throughout his Alabama career and listened to him speak about the program understand that his loyalty to the university goes deeper than money. He feels comfortable at Alabama, and he has found a long-term home where he can carve out his legacy. Bama Hoops has one of the best young coaches in the sport, and it seems like he will be around for a long, long time.