Nate Oats and Alabama Basketball make a definitive statement landing Cliff Omoruyi

Move over college basketball blue bloods, Nate Oats has arrived. On Sunday, Nate Oats landed what Alabama Basketball needed most for the 2024-25 season, a dominating big man. Rutgers transfer, Clifford Omoruyi gives the Crimson Tide, defense, rim protection, rebounding, and more than enough offense to propel Alabama into national title contention.

Nate Oats has one roster spot left for the 2024-25 team and it will be held for Mark Sears until he makes an NBA decision. Even without Sears Alabama will be loaded next season. With Sears, Alabama can claim to have the best overall roster in college basketball.

Do not be misled by the stats in the tweet. Unlike many big men, Omoruyi played only an average of 26 minutes per game. His scoring efficiency was impressive at 51.2%. His block rate was outstanding, giving the Crimson Tide the rim protector it too often missed last season.

Omoruyi's NIL situation is fuzzy, given he is in the U.S. on a student visa. His ability to profit from NIL deals is limited. Alabama basketball insiders believe his transfer decision was not driven by NIL. It was rumored North Carolina offered a bigger NIL package than Alabama. What Nate Oats offered was more important. Playing in a Nate Oats system has become recognized as college basketball's best development path to the NBA.

When Alabama can sell that NBA development claim over a North Carolina it represents a new plateau for the Crimson Tide program. As Nate Oats said after the Crimson Tide's Final Four, the program's milestone was more a beginning than a finish.

Explaining his choice of Alabama over North Carolina, Kansas State, Georgetown (and others), Omoruyi said,

"I feel that this is the best situation to direct me to the NBA, which is my goal."

- Clifford Omoruyi

Not only does Omoruyi provide the essential big body the Crimson Tide needs on the inside, but he also offers more. In four seasons of college play, he started 104 games for Rutgers. An over-used term is nonetheless fitting to describe Omoruyi. Both physically and mentally, Alabama basketball has added 'a grown man' who will command a presence around the basket.

Across college basketball, roster transitions will continue for weeks. At this point, a restrained ranking of the Crimson Tide's 2024-25 roster is it will be in the top five nationally.