Alabama basketball fans are primed to expect the Crimson Tide to make another Final Four run. Nate Oats recruited a strong signing class and added quality pieces through the Transfer Portal. There are good reasons for optimism.
Juxtaposed against such optimism is the SEC will again be a gauntlet. Last season, with a Strength of Schedule ranked No. 1 by Ken Pomeroy, KPom ranked Alabama No. 4 offensively, No. 28 defensively, and overall, college basketball's No. 6 team. With a better defensive performance, the Crimson Tide might have gained an NCAA Tournament 1-seed and made it to the Final Four. Pomeroy's final ranking slotted Alabama as the SEC's 4th-best team.
What about Alabama Basketball and 2025-26?
In early July, USA Today published a 2025-26 college basketball preseason ranking with Alabama as the SEC's No. 2 team and No. 8 overall. With the Crimson Tide having to replace an average of over 60 points per game from last season's roster, No. 2 in the SEC is a lofty preseason ranking.
Not all college basketball experts agree. More recently, Jon Rothstein, who knows more than a thing or two about the world of college basketball, stated that going into the 2025-26 season, Nate Oats' team will be the SEC's fifth-best. Above Alabama, Rothstein has Florida, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Auburn. ESPN Top 25 rankings by Jeff Borzello agree with Rothstein about Alabama. Borzello has Florida, Kentucky, Arkansas, and Auburn above the Crimson Tide.
Two months ago, I believed the Gators would not reload enough. With Alex Condon withdrawing from the NBA Draft and the $2M-plus transfer addition of Boogie Fland, Florida could be as good as last season. While it pains me to admit it, Rothstein is probably correct about Arkansas, Kentucky, and Auburn as well. All three programs have excelled at roster building. Mark Pope is too good a coach for Kentucky's massive NIL investment not to pay dividends.
With no exact numbers, it is fair to believe the Gators, Wildcats, and Razorbacks have far outspent the Crimson Tide. There are reasons to claim that a lower payroll number for Nate Oats does not equal a below top-tier roster. Oats has filled needs with transfers and freshman recruits. Miami transfer, Jalil Bethea, and FSU transfer, Taylor Bol-Bowen, will either start or be in a top-seven rotation. Summer workouts indicate Tarleton State transfer Keitenn Bristow can compete with SEC-level talent. Rothstein predicts a big impact bump from Aiden Sherrell, who he describes as a great fit for Nate Oats' system.