DeVonta Smith Tweets Photo in Alabama Basketball Jersey: 'Put Me in Coach!'
Mar 28, 2021
Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith (6) runs against Florida during the first half of the Southeastern Conference championship NCAA college football game, Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
DeVonta Smith has already won one national championship for Alabama this year and apparently wants to help win another one.
The star receiver tweeted a picture of himself with a basketball jersey Sunday asking to join the Crimson Tide for their upcoming Sweet 16 battle against UCLA.
While Smith has been training for the 2021 NFL draft, basketball head coach Nate Oats probably wouldn't mind adding another elite athlete to the roster. The team is seeking its first trip to the Elite Eight since 2004.
Everyone knows what Smith can do on a football field, winning the Heisman Trophy this season while leading the nation with 117 catches, 1,856 yards and 23 receiving touchdowns. He was a major reason the Crimson Tide went 13-0 with the program's third national title in six years.
The 6'1" player was also skilled at basketball in high school, earning a second-team All-State selection in Louisiana as a senior in 2017 while averaging about 18 points per game.
"He could play," Amite football coach Zephaniah Powell toldMike Rodakof AL.com. "You could play [point guard], he could play [shooting guard], he could play [small forward]. He could shoot it. He could play defense."
The shooting would fit right in with the current Alabama basketball team, which leads the country with 341 made three-pointers during the season. The squad went 16-of-33 from deep in the second-round win over Maryland.
Alabama Eliminates Rick Pitino, Iona from 2021 NCAA Tournament with 68-55 Win
Mar 20, 2021
Alabama forward Herbert Jones (1) gets a basket on a dunk over Iona guard Berrick JeanLouis (0) in the first half of a first-round game in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
No. 2 Alabama avoided a first-round setback with a 68-55 win over No. 15 Iona on Saturday.
Herbert Jones scored 20 for the Crimson Tide to kick off their run in the 2021 NCAA men's basketball tournament. The SEC regular-season and conference tournament winners are seeking their first Sweet 16 since 2004.
There was some concern for the favorites after a wild Friday that saw Oral Roberts become the ninth No. 15 seed to beat a No. 2 with a win over Ohio State. Iona head coach Rick Pitino also made the Gaels a popular sleeper pick with a resume that includes seven Final Fours and championships with both Kentucky and Louisville.
Iona trailed by just one point at halftime and was still within one possession with less than 10 minutes remaining in the game. Isaiah Ross had 19 points for the Gaels to stay within striking distance nearly the entire day.
Poor outside shooting from Alabama also kept things close, but the favorite made enough shots to stay ahead, while a 42-26 rebounding advantage played a major role.
It helped the Crimson Tide evade disaster to remain a dangerous team going forward.
Notable Performances
Herbert Jones, F, ALA: 20 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals
The two combined to shoot 1-of-7 from three in the first half while finishing 2-of-10 for the game. It was part of the overall shooting issues for the Tide, who went more than 20 minutes of game time without a three on the way to 5-of-16 from beyond the arc.
The only starter who could do anything offensively was Jones, who succeeded by attacking the basket:
#RollTide with a nice surge on both ends, forcing a Rick Pitino timeout. Tide on a 10-1 run as Iona goes cold from 3-point range. Jahvon Quinerly starting to emerge for Bama.
If the shooting returns to form in later rounds, the Crimson Tide can go a long way.
Iona Falls Short of Upset Bid Despite 1st-Half Surge
Despite being the heavy underdog, it was clear Iona was not going down without a fight.
Alabama built an eight-point lead with under two minutes left in the half, but Ross keyed a 7-0 run to cut the margin down to one and take the momentum into halftime.
Fascinating wrinkle by Rick Pitino, putting in lightly used Parker Weiss to essentially take charges for Iona. He played a season high 8 minutes in first half and was Plus 10. He hadn’t played more than 4 minutes in a game all year.
It was simply too difficult to keep up with the more talented team over the course of 40 minutes.
The Gaels were held to 23 points in the second half while Ross scored just four, preventing another dramatic March Madness moment.
What's Next?
Alabama will advance to the second round Monday to face the winner of No. 7 Connecticut and No. 10 Maryland.
Nate Oats, Alabama Agree to New Contract Through 2027 as Men's Basketball HC
Feb 18, 2021
Alabama head coach Nate Oats walks across the court with John Petty Jr. (23) before an NCAA college basketball game against South Carolina Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021, in Columbia, S.C. Alabama won 81-78. (AP Photo/Sean Rayford)
The Alabama men's basketball program announced Thursday it has extended head coach Nate Oats' contract for an additional three seasons through March 2027.
That extension includes a raise, with the school announcing that the "base salary and talent fee will increase to $3.225 million annually."
Oats said the following in a statement:
"We feel like we have a lot of positive momentum going with our team and have the program headed in the right direction. Our administration is making a major statement with this extension as we all work on building a successful program for the long term. I know the winning history we've had with Alabama basketball, and I feel like we can add to that and accomplish great things here."
Alabama's athletic director Greg Byrne added:
"We had great expectations when we hired Coach Oats. He has exceeded those expectations, and we want to ensure he is compensated among the top half of the SEC. We have put buyout measures in place that show the long-term commitment between both parties. Coach Oats and his staff have built a comprehensive program that has maximized our student-athletes' experience, significantly increased interest in Alabama Basketball with future recruits and put forward a product that has excited our fan base."
Oats has gone 33-20 in his two seasons at Alabama, including a 17-5 mark this season. Prior to the Crimson Tide, he spent four season as the head coach for Buffalo, going 96-43 while leading the Bulls to three NCAA tournament appearances. He was named the MAC Coach of the Year in the 2018-19 season.
The Crimson Tide are currently ranked No. 8 in the nation and look like legitimate potential contenders come March.
Alabama's Nate Oats Responds to Coach K Saying NCAA Needs to Reassess Season
Dec 10, 2020
FILE - In this Jan. 22, 2020, file photo, Alabama coach Nate Oats gestures to players during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn. Oats brought points galore in his first season at Alabama with his up-tempo coaching style. Now, he's hoping the defense--and wins--will follow. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Alabama head men's basketball coach Nate Oats believes the college basketball season should still be happening amid the COVID-19 pandemic and suggested Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski only said the sport should "reassess" things because the Blue Devils lost two games.
"Do you think if Coach K hadn't lost the two nonconference games at home that he'd still be saying that?" Oats asked, per Charlie Potter of 247Sports. "We should be playing, in my opinion. We 100-percent should be playing basketball."
As Myron Medcalf of ESPN shared, Krzyzewski opened up about the state of the sport following Tuesday's loss to Illinois:
"I would just like for the safety, the mental health and the physical health of our players and staff to assess where we're at. In our country today, you have 2,000 deaths a day. You have 200,000 cases, a million and a half last week. You have people saying that the next six weeks are going to be the worst. To me, it's already pretty bad.
"On the other side of it, there are these vaccines that are coming out. People are saying that by the end of the month 20 million vaccine shots will be given. In February, another 100 million. Well, should we not reassess that and see what would be best?"
According toJeff Goodmanof Stadium, Duke does not plan on playing any more nonconference games this season amid its coach's concerns.
Oats is not the only coach to weigh in on Coach K's comments, as Kansas head coach Bill Self said he understood the worries but thinks it is safer to have the controlled environment of basketball for players:
Self responding to Coach K's comments: "The precautions that we do and the protocols that we have would be, in many ways, far safer than if we aren't playing & if we just turned the guys loose." Self says he agrees w/ some of K's thoughts but is overall OK with #KUbball playing
This isn't the first time Coach K raised concerns about the safety of playing amid a pandemic.
Medcalf noted he also suggested the NCAA should consider moving the Big Dance back from March to allow more time to contain the virus with vaccines and other measures. He also said every team in the country should be invited to the tournament to level the playing field some in a season filled with such uncertainty.
Despite those calls, the NCAA still plans on hosting the tournament in March in one location.
Last season's NCAA tournament was one of the first major sporting events to be canceled in the early stages of the pandemic that is still an issue across the country. As Krzyzewski pointed out, cases have climbed in recent weeks, raising questions about the safety of hosting sports in non-bubble environments with travel and other issues.
As for the Blue Devils, they are off to a 2-2 start with losses to Michigan State and Illinois.
Their wins are against Coppin State and Bellarmine, so they have essentially lost in their two real tests to this point. That is surely not the start Krzyzewski wanted, which contributed to Oats' opinion of his comments.
Alabama Basketball Gets 3 Years Probation After Associate AD's NCAA Violation
Nov 20, 2020
Alabama head coach Nate Oats yells during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against LSU, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
The NCAA announced Friday it placed the Alabama men's basketball program on probation for three years because of a violation committed by former associate athletics director Kobie Baker.
Baker resigned in September 2017, with AL.com's Matt Zenitz reporting at the time it was related to the FBI's investigation into college basketball corruption.
The NCAA, which didn't name Baker, said the former Alabama official "violated NCAA ethical conduct rules when he received money in exchange for facilitating a meeting between the father of a student-athlete, a financial advisor and the financial advisor's representative."
In addition to serving out its probation, Alabama must pay a fine of $5,000 plus one percent of the budget for the men's basketball team. Baker was also handed a 10-year show-cause penalty, requiring any school that hires him to restrict him from "athletically related duties" or prove to the NCAA why he should be allowed to avoid those restrictions.
"Regarding the first violation, the associate AD knowingly received money during or around a series of meetings in the spring and summer of 2017 from a financial advisor and the advisor’s representative in exchange for access to student-athletes," it said.
In one instance, the organization said Baker received at least $3,000 and a dinner from financial advisor Marty Blazer and Rashan Michel, a former refereeimplicatedin the FBI investigation. Baker then set up a meeting for Blazer and Michel with a member of the Crimson Tide roster.
The NCAA also said Baker wasn't forthcoming with its enforcement staff when it attempted to look into any alleged violations.
According to ESPN'sMark Schlabach, the player in question was former Alabama guard Collin Sexton. Sexton was the No. 5 player in the 2017 recruiting class, per 247Sports'composite rankings. He spent one season with the Tide before moving on to the NBA.
5-Star PG JD Davison Commits to Alabama over Auburn, Kansas, More
Oct 3, 2020
The best point guard recruit in the nation is heading to Alabama.
On Saturday, 5-star prospect JD Davison announced his commitment to the Crimson Tide:
The 6'3" and 175-pounder is considered the top recruit from the state of Alabama, the No. 1 point guard in the nation and the No. 9 player overall in the class of 2021, according to 247Sports' composite rankings.
He had a legendary junior season for Calhoun, averaging 30.4 points per game with 25 double-doubles while leading the school to a Class 2A championship. He's a two-time all-state selection and the two-time All-Metro Player of the Year.
Davison was pleased with his junior campaign, though his sights were quickly set on his senior year.
I will say this on JD Davison. He is in the category of Derrick Rose, Ja Morant, Russell Westbrook, John Wall, etc. in terms of athleticism. His passing reminds of Morant. Davison is an elite talent.
"I had a solid year. We won a championship, so it was one of the best years I've played," he told A. Stacy Long of the Montgomery Advertiser in March. "I can most definitely improve a lot next year, and we're going back-to-back. We're going to work hard to get back there."
Putting up those sorts of numbers at the college level is unrealistic, but Davison brings a big game to Alabama, which just improved its 2021 recruiting class dramatically.
The school's 2021 recruiting class is also highlighted by 4-star small forward Jusaun Holt. Davison will continue the trend of talented guards at Alabama in recent years, following Collin Sexton to Kira Lewis Jr.
Alabama's John Petty Jr. Declares for 2020 NBA Draft, Will Maintain Eligibility
Mar 25, 2020
KNOXVILLE, TN - JANUARY 19: John Petty #23 of the Alabama Crimson Tide dribbles during the first half of the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Tennessee Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena on January 19, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 71-68. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
Alabama junior guard John Petty Jr. announced on his Instagram page Wednesday that he was declaring for the 2020 NBA draft, though he will maintain his eligibility.
Alabama men's basketball head coach Nate Oats said Tuesday that he expected both Petty and Kira Lewis Jr.—two of the team's three leading scorers this past season—to enter the draft.
"The two main ones are Lewis and Petty, they're both going to put their name into the [NBA] draft," Oats said, per Alex Byington of the Montgomery Advertiser. "They're going to go through workouts whenever those are. That's the thing too, everything's just up in the air."
Petty was excellent for the Crimson Tide in 2019-20, averaging 14.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 46.2 percent from the field and 44.0 percent from three, his best career mark by nearly seven percentage points.
Only Lewis (18.5) and Jaden Shackelford (15.0) scored more points per game for Alabama this season.
Oats said the Crimson Tide are proceeding as if neither player will return:
"Based on feedback that they get, they both may leave, (and) we're planning on possibly not having either of them back. ... The best course of action is to plan on them both leaving and if they happen to come back then it's a pleasant surprise.
"I think for them both it's going to be a family decision, a personal decision as to how comfortable they are with leaving, but those are the two I've talked to and the two that will be doing all the workouts."
The Athletic'sSam Vecenieranked Lewis as the No. 23 prospect in the 2020 draft class on his Feb. 28 big board, putting him in the first-round conversation, while Petty is far less of a guarantee to be drafted. Vecenie had him ranked 70th on his big board.
B/R'sJonathan Wasserman, meanwhile, projected Lewis to be the 15th overall pick for the Orlando Magic in his latest first-round mock draft, writing that he "offers a unique element of speed to put more pressure on defenses" and has the "ability to break down opponents and create scoring opportunities."
Petty was not one of the players Wasserman projected to be a first-round pick.
Alabama Guard Kira Lewis Jr. Declares for 2020 NBA Draft
Mar 25, 2020
Alabama guard Kira Lewis Jr. plays against Vanderbilt in an NCAA college basketball game Wed., Jan. 22, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Alabama sophomore guard Kira Lewis Jr. has declared for the 2020 NBA draft.
Lewis announced his decision Wednesday and said he's leaving the door open for a possible return to Tuscaloosa. He will have until June 15 to withdraw from the draft.
According to Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman, Lewis is the No. 13 overall player in the class.
The 6'3" point guard earned first-team All-SEC honors this season after averaging 18.5 points, 5.2 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game.
He's shown a knack for using his quickness to get into the lane and finish around the rim against bigger opponents. He is also dangerous from the outside, shooting 36.6 percent from three-point range.
With double-digit points in 29 of 31 games this year and 37 points in an overtime win over Anthony Edwards and Georgia, there should be no doubts about his scoring ability.
Lewis' consistent playmaking also allowed him to create for others despite limited talent around him, showcasing a wide offensive skill set that will translate to the NBA.
The Alabama native is young for his grade after reclassifying out of high school, playing the 2019-20 season as an 18-year-old sophomore.
Scouts can dream of even more improvement as he grows, both physically and mentally, potentially making him an impact player down the line.
The Crimson Tide will certainly miss him in 2020-21, and head coach Nate Oats told reporters Tuesday he expects junior guard John Petty Jr. to also enter the 2020 draft pool. Remaining competitive in the SEC won't be easy if Alabama loses two of its top three scorers.
Alabama Basketball Player Alex Reese Arrested on Public Intoxication Charge
Mar 13, 2020
KNOXVILLE, TN - JANUARY 19: Alex Reese #3 of the Alabama Crimson Tide stands with hands on his hips during the second half of the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Tennessee Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena on January 19, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 71-68. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
Alabama basketball player Alex Reese was arrested Friday morning in Tuscaloosa County on a charge of public intoxication.
Per Michael Casagrande of AL.com, Tuscaloosa Police said they spotted Reese walking on a street around 3:30 a.m. local time and determined he was intoxicated. He was being held on $300 bond.
Alabama began Thursday in Nashville preparing to play its first game of the SEC tournament against Tennessee.
When it, along with all other postseason tournaments across the NCAA, wascanceledbecause of concerns about the coronavirus pandemic, the Crimson Tide left the Bridgestone Arena and returned home.
Alabama finished the 2019-20 season with a 16-15 record.
Reese, who just completed his junior year, appeared in 31 games this season. The Alabama native averaged 8.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game with a 39.1 shooting percentage.
Alabama 5-Star Transfer Jahvon Quinerly's Appeal to Play This Season Denied
Nov 12, 2019
NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 17: Jahvon Quinerly #1 of the Villanova Wildcats dribbles the ball against the St. John's Red Storm at Madison Square Garden on February 17, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Porter Binks/Getty Images)
Alabama point guard Jahvon Quinerly's appeal to play this season after transferring from Villanova was denied Tuesday, according to ESPN's Jeff Borzello.
Per Joey Blackwell of Sports Illustrated, Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne and head men's basketball coach Nate Oats released a joint statement on the NCAA's decision:
"We can't begin to express how disappointed we are with this decision. Jahvon and his family have been through a set of circumstances that no student-athlete in the history of the NCAA has experienced.
"Their name has been falsely dragged through the mud for two years, and we felt confident that the NCAA Committee for Legislative Relief would recognize this very unique set of circumstances. We will continue to support Jahvon and his family in every way that we can."
When Quinerly committed to Villanova in 2018, he was a 5-star recruit and the No. 29 overall player and No. 7 point guard in his class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.
Although Quinerly appeared in 25 games for Villanova last season, he averaged just 3.2 points, 0.9 assists and 0.8 rebounds in 9.1 minutes per contest. As a result, he transferred to Alabama in June a few months after Oats was hired away from the University at Buffalo.
Before Quinerly signed his letter of intent with Villanova, he committed to Arizona in 2017 but decommitted following an FBI probe into whether recruits received improper benefits, perBorzello. Quinerly was recruited to Arizona by former assistant coach Emanuel "Book" Richardson, who was arrested as part of the probe.
The denial of a waiver to Quinerly is a major blow to an Alabama team that suffered a surprising season-opening loss to Penn before bouncing back with a 78-59 win over Florida Atlantic.
The Crimson Tide are coming off an 18-16 season, and they have reached the NCAA tournament just once in the past seven seasons.
With Quinerly ineligible to play until the 2020-21 campaign, Kira Lewis Jr., Jaden Shackelford and John Petty Jr. are in line to eat up most of the minutes at guard this season.
