Alabama Basketball: Is Herb Jones the X-factor for the Tide this season?
By Dakota Cox
Alabama basketball has high expectations this season, and junior Herb Jones is a big reason why the Tide should be excited.
Although football is currently reigning supreme in Tuscaloosa, many are looking forward to the upcoming Alabama basketball season. After a tipoff preview, a friendly scrimmage against Georgia Tech, and countless interviews with Nate Oats, Tide fans are just chomping at the bit to see what is in store for the season.
There will be plenty of new faces for the Tide, from freshmen to transfers. There will also be names that have been the face of Alabama basketball for multiple years like John Petty. One man is a mix of those two things. You’ve heard his name before, but he’s going to look like a completely new player as a junior. Of course, I’m talking about Herb Jones.
Early in his college career, Herb made it on the court thanks to his abilities on defense. He was valuable on screens thanks to his ability to defend any position, and he locked down just about anyone he faced. He truly made a name for himself when he stayed in Trae Young’s hip pocket as a freshman. The one thing that has kept him from emerging as an SEC star is his offensive game. He’s athletic, but he doesn’t have the range you would like to see from a guard/forward. He only took shots when he was open, and he often missed.
That’s where Nate Oats comes in. He’s an offensive guru, and he’s going to work with Jones both on the fundamentals and the scheme of the offense. It will take some time, but I expect Herb Jones to flourish as a junior.
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Either way, Jones will truly be the X-factor. Everyone knows about the freshmen class and Kira Lewis. They will plan to stop them, along with John Petty. It will be those other guys that have to step up in order for this team to succeed. Herb Jones will have an opportunity to do so, and I think he will make the most of it.