SEC Basketball Recruiting: Every team’s top class from past decade
By Dakota Cox
Alabama Crimson Tide: 2017
Alabama has had some struggles in recruiting for a long time, but they appear to be on the rise. 2017 was a great year for a lot of SEC teams, and Alabama was no different.
The prized jewel of the class was clearly Collin Sexton. The Young Bull carried this team to its first NCAA Tournament win in a very long time with his aggressive plays style. In his only season at Alabama, Sexton made enough memories to fill all the scrapbooks in Tuscaloosa.
However, this draft class wasn’t just one man. He was the best, but there was plenty of talent around him that have stayed into their junior years for the Tide. The first name that comes to mind is John Petty. Now that Avery Johnson is gone, Petty will likely emerge in a new offensive system that values quality three-point shooting. Herb Jones struggled to grow offensively last year, but there is a lot of hope that he will grow now that Oats is in charge of his development. Even if he isn’t a quality scorer this year, he has the athleticism and scrappiness on defense to make a contribution.
You also have Alex Reese in this class. Reese has been relegated to the bench for most of his time with the Tide, but he’s a quality stretch-4 that Oats will utilize this season. It wouldn’t surprise me if he becomes the most improved player on the Crimson Tide for the 2019-20 season. He will need to have a stronger presence on the boards, however, now that Donta Hall has graduated and won’t be there to clean up the glass.