The biggest decision remaining for Nate Oats and Alabama basketball this offseason is firmly in the hands of Labaron Philon. The star guard is going through the NBA Draft process while maintaining his collegiate eligibility.
The door is open for a possible return, but Philon is widely projected as a first-round pick. With the NBA Combine getting started in Chicago on May 11th, Philon could work his way toward the lottery. If he can maintain a first-round projection - particularly if he can get a promise from a team - he's likely to stay in the draft.
Alabama has two open roster spots available. Two of its top remaining targets - Cedric Coward and Rylan Griffen - both committed to other teams. There's not a lot left out there. Oats will likely leave a spot open for now for Philon while aggresively pursuing another option.
There are several high-profile players who are going through the draft process and are also in the Transfer Portal. St. John's RJ Luis, Texas Tech's Darrion Williams, and Florida State's Jamir Watkins, to name a few. Players have until May 28th to withdraw from the NBA Draft to maintain collegiate eligibility.
That means we're still several weeks away from clarity on the Tide's roster. Alabama will probably add somebody. They may not add two players. Playing a rotation bigger than 10 guys is difficult, and taking a flier on a project-type player will likely just lead to that player entering the portal again next year anyway.
Let's take a look at what Alabama's rotation could look like next season with and without Labaron Philon.
Alabama's projected rotation looks a little thin on the wing
It's no secret that Alabama is a little thin on the wing at the moment. That's why they were pursuing players like Coward and Griffen to begin with. As is, I think Alabama's rotation would look something like this (minutes per game in parentheses)
PG: Aden Holloway (29)
SG: Jalil Bethea (28)
SF: Houston Mallette (20)
PF: Taylor Bol Bowen (25)
C: Noah Williamson (20)
Backups:
Latrell Wrightsell (22)
Aiden Sherrell (20)
London Jemison (18)
Davion Hannah (10)
Keitenn Bristow (8)
Amari Allen
It's hard to project the freshman, so at the moment Amari Allen is the odd man out of the rotation as the lowest-ranked of Alabama's three incoming recruits. That doesn't mean he won't play; it just means I don't have room in the mock-rotation. A rotation is just a baseline, though; Oats can and will (and has) go away from his rotation depending on matchups and who is playing hard.
If Philon returns, he slots in as the team's starting point guard, and Holloway moves to more of a Wrightsell-like role on the bench. Alabama would be guard-heavy, but with that level of talent in the backcourt, that's more than okay.
With Philon, Alabama could also insert Wrightsell in at the two and slide Bethea up to the three. That would move Mallette to the bench where he could play the Energizer Bunny type of role he started to have last season. If there's a guy on next year's roster who will give Alabama "the little things" ala Mo Dioubate, it's Mallette.
Alabama would still be a little smaller on the perimeter than Oats probably prefers, but Philon, Wrightsell, and Bethea are 6-4, 6-3, and 6-5, respectively. They aren't playing two 6-0 guys at the same time like last season with Holloway and Sears.
The biggest weakness on paper, even without Philon, is on the wing. Alabama could theoretically start three guards with Holloway/Wrightsell/Bethea all together, but I think that's unlikely. Oats made it a point this offseason to get bigger, and that would be negated with two guys 6-foot-3 and shorter in the starting lineup. Plus, without Philon, those will be the three primary ball-handlers. You will want to stagger those minutes some.
Alabama could also choose to play a super big lineup. With Williamson and Sherrell's ability to shoot and space the floor, they could play together with the Crimson Tide imitating what Auburn did last year with their two-big lineup of Johni Broome and Dylan Cardwell.
Taylor Bol Bowen is quick enough and shoots well enough to shift to the wing as the three. That would put three 6-foot-10+ guys on the floor at the same time. Even if Alabama played a smaller backcourt (Holloway and Wrightsell), they could overcome it with size at the other three spots.
This is a versatile team. It's just hard to say how good it will be. I'm confident in saying it will be a tournament team. If Philon comes back and Alabama can add a wing in the portal, then I'd confidently call it an SEC contender, thus being an NCAA contender as well.
But I think it's more likely than not that Philon doesn't return and the Crimson Tide end up in a bit of a transition year. And that's okay. This should still be a comfortable tournament team. It just might not be a legitimate Final Four contender like we've seen the last three years. There's no shame in that. 2025-26 was always going to take a step back with what Oats was going to have to replace. Guys like Mark Sears and Grant Nelson don't grow on trees. Fifth-year versions of those guys may never happen again, barring another global pandemic or the fifth-year rule passing.
Most teams around the country will be worse next season. The four teams that made the Final Four this year were four of the best teams of the KenPom era. This year was lightning in the bottle with all the COVID-year guys.
As things currently stand, Alabama will have to hope for leaps out of guys like Bethea and Sherrell. They will also be hoping for good health from oft-injured Wrightsell and Mallette.
Health is always a question mark. But Oats has earned the benefit of the doubt in developing players.