Alabama basketball's season ended last Saturday in an Elite Eight loss to Duke. In the six days since then, things have gone slower with roster turnover and Transfer Portal additions than most probably expected. To date, Alabama has lost one player to the portal (Naas Cunningham) and gained one (Noah Williamson).
If no other player left, Nate Oats would only have one spot to work with - unless the scholarship limit expands to 15 in the coming days/weeks as some expect. Alabama is losing four players who ran out of eligibility and signed a three-man recruiting class.
There are still decisions to be made, and Alabama is likely to see a little more turnover soon. Freshman guard Labaron Philon is still weighing an NBA Draft decision, and most insiders don't believe Oats will be able to retain all three of Mo Dioubate, Jarin Stevenson, and Derrion Reid.
Some roster attrition is healthy and a must. Alabama has some needs for next season's roster that they wouldn't be able to fill without some turnover.
But they also have some players who are higher priorities than others in terms of retaining for next season's roster. If Alabama wants to take the leap from a great team to a truly elite team that has a legitimate shot at winning a national championship, then these four players need to be back in Tuscaloosa for 2025-26.
The four most important players for Nate Oats and Alabama to retain for next season
4. Aiden Sherrell
Freshman Aiden Sherrell indicated after Alabama's loss to Duke that he would be returning to the Crimson Tide for his sophomore season, but there hasn't been anything official as of yet. His growth throughout his freshman season was notable, and after struggling in early minutes, he became a legitimate part of the rotation and a player who looks to be an integral part of this roster next season.
Sherrell led the team in offensive rebounding rate, hauling in 13.2% of available misses. He needs to get better defensively, particularly defending without fouling, but that's something that a lot of freshman bigs struggle with.
Sherrell's most intriguing skill is his ability to stretch the floor. He hit 14-of-42 (33.3%) of his attempts from three this past season. With Alabama's addition of Noah Williamson in the Transfer Portal, they have two legitimate options at center. Sherrell and Williamson could also see some minutes together; Sherrell played alongside Cliff Omoruyi a few times down the stretch this year and with he and Williamson's ability to stretch the floor, it should work even better.
3. Aden Holloway
Aden Holloway made the leap most reasonable fans expected from his freshman season at Auburn to his sophomore season at Alabama. After a disastrous year on the Plains, Holloway found a better system fit in Tuscaloosa and thrived under Oats.
Holloway was a lethal three-point shooter, connecting on 41.2% of his three-point attempts and averaging over 11 points per game. Holloway finished fourth on the team in BPM (box plus-minus) and was second on the team in offensive BPM.
His defense at times leaves much to be desired, but he's such an efficient scorer that you trade the good with the bad. He thrived in more of an off-ball role for Alabama this season, but he has plenty of playmaking ability and good handles. He can beat his man off the dribble and if Philon turns pro, the Tide should be able to rely on an increased on-ball role from Holloway to make up the difference.
2. Mo Dioubate
If you are looking at the counting stats, you aren't getting the full picture of how important Mo Diobuate was and is to this program. Simply put, Alabama cannot afford to lose the guy who Oats has said embodies the culture of Tide basketball. He's the face of blue-collar basketball, but he proved this season that he's much more than a glue guy.
Dioubate finished 2nd on the team in Net Rating behind only Cliff Omoruyi at +28.8. He was the only rotational player who finished with a Defensive Net Rating under 100 - meaning Alabama allowed under 100 points per 100 possessions whiile Dioubate was on the court.
He also led the team in BPM at 11.1. He showed improvement as a shooter, hitting 12-of-26 attempts from three after hitting only a single three-point shot as a freshman. He was efficient inside the arc, too, hitting just under 65% of his attempts from two.
If Dioubate takes a similar leap in skill into his junior season that he did from his freshman-to-sophomore season, you're talking about a player who could be an All-SEC performer.
1. Labaron Philon
Toward the end of his freshman season, Labaron Philon morphed from an exciting offensive talent to a two-way demon. He was Alabama's most reliable perimeter defender in March and played a big role in Alabama's improvement down the stretch defensively.
Philon was only an okay shooter, but that's something that should improve over the offseason. He can reliably beat defenders off the bounce, which is a vital part of playing guard in Oats' system. It's not difficult to see Philon growing into one of the best guards in the nation next season.
Philon is weighing an NBA Draft decision. He has a wide range in stock, with some pundits projecting him as a potential lottery pick while others don't have him in the 1st Round.
Sometimes the most important additions to your roster are retaining the current guys. Oats getting Philon to return for his sophomore season in Tuscaloosa would be the most important move he could make this offseason.