Tag: Nate Oats

BAMA BEAT: Interview with Alabama coach Nate Oats (Ep. 327)

Cecil Hurt and Hunter Johnson sit down with Alabama coach Nate Oats to discuss navigating the current landscape in sports due to COVID-19.

Cecil Hurt and Hunter Johnson sit down with Alabama head basketball coach Nate Oats to discuss navigating the current landscape in sports due to the coronavirus, as well as to talk about the future of the program.

 [protected-iframe id=”993abee5d969b22217104d65a08fd35c-162776958-84624375″ info=”https://omny.fm/shows/the-bama-beat/interview-with-alabama-basketball-coach-nate-oats/embed” width=”100%” height=”180″ frameborder=”0″]

[protected-iframe id=”ed6defb6a1b9987c89fe18dbc1bd61d7-162776958-84624375″ info=”https://omny.fm/shows/the-bama-beat/playlists/podcast/embed?style=artwork” width=”100%” height=”500″ frameborder=”0″]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

BREAKING: Alabama basketball lands JUCO guard Keon Ellis

Things are picking up on the recruiting trail for the Alabama basketball program. On Sunday, the Tide landed a commitment from Keon Ellis.

Things are starting to pick up on the recruiting trail for Nate Oats and the Alabama basketball program. On Sunday, the Crimson Tide landed a commitment from Keon Ellis.

Ellis, a four-star JUCO combo guard from Fort Myers (Fla.), made the announcements via his Instagram and Twitter accounts:

Ellis is rated as the No. 3 JUCO prospect and No. 1 combo guard for the 2020, according to 247Sports.

He is also the third member of the Crimson Tide’s 2020 recruiting class, joining four-star prospects Josh Primo (No. 47 overall, No. 8 combo guard) and Keon Ambrose-Hylton (No. 114 overall, No. 22 power forward).

Stay tuned for more updates on Alabama basketball’s upcoming recruiting classes and more from Roll Tide Wire!

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Latest CBS NBA mock draft predicts landing spot for Kira Lewis Jr.

Lewis actually made 48.8% of his attempts from beyond the arc in the Crimson Tide’s final seven games, which suggests he can be a reliabl…

In a sports world that is flooded with an overwhelming amount of uncertainty due to the Coronavirus pandemic and NFL mock drafts, NBA expert Gary Parrish with CBS released his latest 2020 NBA mock draft.

That mock is filled with big-name talents from across the globe and the college basketball community. Some of those names include LaMelo Ball, who is currently playing in Australia, and Georgia’s Anthony Edwards.

However, a name that the Crimson Tide fanbase is more than familiar with can also be found. It’s a little bit further down the mock at the No. 28 overall pick, but it’s certainly there.

Parrish predicts that Alabama sophomore point guard Kira Lewis Jr. will be selected by the New York Knicks with that late first-rounder.

His CBS positional ranking has him listed as the sixth-best guard in the 2020 draft class.

Parrish goes on to explain his reasoning behind the prediction:

“Lewis is a sophomore but will still only be 19 years old on draft night. So he’s young. . And he’s light. But the 6-3 point was super-productive this season — averaging 18.5 points, 5.2 assists and 4.8 rebounds for an Alabama team that finished 60th at KenPom. He shot 36.6% from 3-point range on the season. But Lewis actually made 48.8% of his attempts from beyond the arc in the Crimson Tide’s final seven games, which suggests he can be a reliable, if not terrific, perimeter shooter as professional.”

While Lewis did announce he will be entering the 2020 NBA Draft process, he also made it clear that he has chosen to maintain his remaining collegiate eligibility, which will be two years.

Lewis had a teammate under Nate Oats, junior guard John Petty, who also announced that he will be entering the NBA Draft process, but was not mentioned in this particular mock.

Roll Tide Wire will keep you updated on the journeys of Lewis and Petty throughout the process leading up to their potential life-changing moments!

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

 

BREAKING: Alabama basketball lands 5-star CG Joshua Primo

Alabama basketball landed a huge commitment on Friday with five-star combo guard Joshua Primo out of Ohio.

Alabama basketball got a huge commitment on Friday morning, as Joshua Primo announced that he would be joining the Crimson Tide’s 2020 recruiting class.

The news was announced by several media outlets, but the five-star combo guard from Royal Crown High School in Toronto (Ohio.) made it official on his own Twitter account:

This is a major addition for head coach Nate Oats and the rest of the Alabama basketball program, as it was announced earlier in the week that starting guards Kira Lewis Jr. and John Petty would be entering their names into the 2020 NBA Draft.

According to the 247Sports composite rankings, Primo is a four-star prospect and rated as the No. 47 overall player, the No. 8 combo guard and No. 1 player from the state of Ohio.

The rankings for 247Sports specifically, however, rated the 6-foot-6, 180-pound shooter as a five-star while ranking him No. 27 overall and the No. 7 combo guard.

Primo is officially the Crimson Tide’s second commitment for the 2020 class after reclassifying from 2021. He is joined by four-star power forward Keon Ambrose-Hylton, who is the No. 115 overall player.

Stay tuned for more updates on Alabama sports from Roll Tide Wire, part of the USA TODAY college wire websites!

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Kira Lewis Jr. releases statement entering NBA Draft

It was originally reported yesterday by Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News that Alabama guards Kira Lewis Jr. and John Petty would be “tes…

It was originally reported yesterday by Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News, through Alabama head coach Nate Oats, that guards Kira Lewis Jr. and John Petty would be “testing the NBA waters.”

Less than a day later Lewis, who just wrapped up sophomore season in Tuscaloosa, took to Twitter t announce his decision to enter the 2020 NBA Draft while also retaining his remaining collegiate eligibility.

Lewis, who reclassified to join the 2018 class, began playing at Alabama as a 17-year-old, but  despite his youth, he instantly became a leader and a fan-favorite.

In his two years with the Crimson Tide, Lewis average 34.5 minutes, a field goal percentage of 44.7 percent, 1,031 total points, 260 assists and only 183 turnovers.

In his message, Lewis thanks everyone from the fans, who he claims are the “best fans in college basketball” to his coaches, teammates and family.

There is only one piece bolded within the message: “I have decided to enter the NBA draft process while keeping my eligibility”.

Could this mean a potential return from Lewis? Likely not, according to the tweet shared by Hurt from Oats on Tuesday:

It seems as if the Lewis era in Tuscaloosa is coming to an end, but his legacy will remain.

He was one of the few consistent pieces during a time of uncertainty, which means he will be remembered at Alabama as a pioneer of change within a program that was desperately in need of a new look.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Top Alabama basketball target sets decision date for commitment

Alabama could be landing its second basketball commitment for the 2020 recruiting class.

The Alabama basketball program took a couple potential hits on Tuesday when head coach Nate Oats said that Kira Lewis Jr. and John Petty would test the NBA waters.

And while it’s not a guarantee that both — or either — leave, it’s looking like the Crimson Tide will need to replenish the depth on the roster, especially after the announcement that Raymond Hawkins entered the transfer portal.

Well, the hope is that 2021 four-star combo guard Josh Primo could be one of those potential replacements on the roster. On Tuesday, the Toronto (Ohio) native insinuated that a commitment date could be set via his Twitter account:

As of right now, the belief is that the final two schools are Alabama and Creighton, which means the Crimson Tide is in a good position to land the 6-foot-6, 180-pound prospect.

According to the 247Sports composite rankings, Primo is the No. 47 overall prospect, No. 8 combo guard and No. 1 player from the state of Ohio. He’s also listed as a five star (No. 27 overall) when it comes to the 247Sports standalone rankings.

If Primo was added to the Tide’s 2020 class, he would join four-star power forward Keon Ambrose-Hylton out of Willoughby (Ohio).

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Alabama forward Raymond Hawkins enters transfer portal

Alabama’s freshman forward Raymond Hawkins has entered the transfer portal, first reported on Friday afternoon by Matt Zenitz with AL.com. Alabama basketball forward Raymond Hawkins has entered the transfer portal – Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) March 13, …

Alabama’s freshman forward Raymond Hawkins has entered the transfer portal, first reported on Friday afternoon by Matt Zenitz with AL.com.

Hawkins was a late addition to the Crimson Tide’s 2019 basketball recruiting class. The Nevada native was originally committed to Buffalo when Alabama head coach Nate Oats was still leading that program.

The former three-star prospect played in six games for Alabama and was a potential contributor for the future of the program.

Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

As of right now, there is no word yet as to why Hawkins decided to enter his name into the portal, and it isn’t a guarantee, at least not at this tone, that he won’t be with the program for his sophomore season.

Either way, he will always be remembered for his reaction when Alabama sent Auburn to overtime on the road back in February:

Roll Tide Wire will keep you updated on Hawkins’ time in the transfer portal and where he decides to enroll for the 2020-2021 season!

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

BAMA BEAT: Alabama basketball closes regular season (Ep. 320)

Cecil Hurt and Hunter Johnson discuss Alabama basketball’s disappointing close to the regular season with losses against Vanderbilt and Missouri. The two then turn towards the SEC Tournament and where the Crimson Tide go from here. View embedded …

Cecil Hurt and Hunter Johnson discuss Alabama basketball’s disappointing close to the regular season with losses against Vanderbilt and Missouri. The two then turn towards the SEC Tournament and where the Crimson Tide go from here.

 [protected-iframe id=”7c087b26481e1a105e9c4564dca7bc26-162776958-84624375″ info=”https://omny.fm/shows/the-bama-beat/alabama-basketball-closes-regular-season-the-bama/embed” width=”100%” height=”180″ frameborder=”0″]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Alabama basketball’s Nate Oats deserves grace during his first season

It’ll take more than one season (plagued with injuries) to turn this program around, and I think Nate Oats is the right guy for the job. 

This feels ridiculous to even have to write, but someone has to say it: give Nate Oats a break.

For real, give him a chance. It will take TIME to rebuild a program that has been underperforming for years, long before Oats’ arrival in Tuscaloosa.

Sure, making it to the NCAA tournament would have been nice to witness, but it’s not Oats’ fault. Alabama suffered many injuries throughout the entire season, and at very unfortunate times at that.

And there were many moments throughout the season that showcased a team that’s on the brink of a breakthrough. A breakthrough that Alabama fans have hoped for, for years.

Whether it’s the 83-64 win at home over Auburn, a road OT win over Georgia, or even an impressive win over LSU, we witnessed this Alabama team make their mark.

Sure, they lost games many thought were a “given” but they also won games people thought they had no chance to win.

Nate Oats is not only rebuilding a team, he’s rebuilding an atmosphere to a program that has been somewhat dead for years. 

Oats knew when he took the job, it wasn’t just about putting the best players on the court, it was also creating an energy and atmosphere that would help fill an out-dated Coleman Coliseum.

When you see the culture at Alabama, you understand one thing: excellence is expected.  Football, softball, gymnastics, tennis, golf, swimming, wheelchair basketball, track and field, and so on, are winning championships, but it took time.

Saban arrived in Tuscaloosa in 2007. 2 years later, he helped lead a team to a National Championship for the first time since 1992. Saban rebuilt a program that was desperate for change and excitement.

The same thing is happening with basketball. This program is desperate for a chance. A chance to be elite again. After all, basketball hasn’t won a national championship… ever. The best shot they’ve had in the NCAA tournament was the 2003-2004 season under Mark Gottfried when they made it to the Elite Eight.

Nate Oats knows what it takes to make it to the NCAA tournament. He led the Buffalo Bulls to 3 NCAA tournament appearances in the past 4 years.

He can do the same for Alabama, but it will take time and patience.

Oats has the ability and passion to turn this team around. This team has talent, and if they would’ve stayed healthy all season, this team would be NCAA tournament bound, no doubt about it. 

Just wait and see. Give Nate Oats some time. And don’t call for his firing when his first season isn’t even over yet.

In Saban’s first season at Alabama, the Tide went 7-6, including a loss to 21-14 loss at home to Louisiana Monroe. And aren’t you glad they didn’t fire Saban after his first season?

So give Nate Oats the grace he deserves. It’ll take more than one season (plagued with injuries) to turn this program around, and I think Nate Oats is the right guy for the job. 

 

Herb Jones named to SEC basketball Community Service team

Alabama basketball’s junior guard Herb Jones has had caps off an interesting year by representing the Crimson Tide by being selected to the SEC basketball community service team after dealing with a new coach, a new team and numerous injuries. …

[jwplayer rKEmplnZ-er0jUifI]

Alabama basketball’s junior guard Herb Jones has had caps off an interesting year by representing the Crimson Tide by being selected to the SEC basketball community service team after dealing with a new coach, a new team and numerous injuries.

Jones emerged as the face of the team as an on-the-court leader, but his energy and motivation after his wrist surgery rallied the Alabama fanbase behind him.

He will join 13 other fellow SEC members from the other programs across the conference.

His efforts in the community have not gone unnoticed, the university details his activity here.

The regular season may be coming to an end but the SEC Tournament in Nashville will begin soon. Roll Tide Wire will keep you updated on all things Alabama basketball.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]