Alabama Basketball: Projected starting lineup and depth chart for 2021-22

Alabama Basketball: Projected starting lineup and depth chart for 2021-22 season

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 28: Head coach Nate Oats of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts against the UCLA Bruins during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen round game of the 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Hinkle Fieldhouse on March 28, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

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Furman Paladins forward Noah Gurley Alabama Basketball guard Joshua Primo Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports /

Power Forward

Starter: Noah Gurley

At power forward (or just forward for the Tide) I see Furman transfer Noah Gurley getting the start. Gurley is a 6’8” 190lb small forward who last season with Furman started all 25 games he appeared in, averaging 15.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game, while also adding 0.9 steals and 1.1 blocks per game as well.

He is a small forward, but because Alabama will have only one forward in the starting five with three guards and a center, I believe that forward will be Noah Gurley.

In addition to being a 6’8” forward, Gurley is also a three-point threat as he held a three-point percentage of .339% last season and a two-point percentage of .578%. That being said, Gurley is capable of making defenses pay from all parts of the floor, and will be a solid player off the bench for the Crimson Tide this season.

Bench: Juwan Gary/Keon Ambrose-Hilton

Coming off the bench at the four, I see Juwan Gary getting a majority of the minutes. Gary appeared in 30 games last season for Alabama averaging 9.4 minutes, 3.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 0.2 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game.

Not much time for Gary last season, but I would fully expect that to change going into the 2021-22 season. Gary started in two games for the Tide, one of which was in the NCAA Tournament against Maryland. That being said, as the season progressed Nate Oats put more faith into Juwan Gary, and because of that, I would expect to see more of him this season.

As for Keon Ambrose-Hylton, he didn’t get much time at all in 2020-21, as he appeared in only 18 games averaging 4.2 minutes per game to go long with only 1.2 points, 0.7 rebounds, 0.1 assists, 0.1 steals, and 0.1 blocks per game.

I wouldn’t expect to see too much out of Ambrose-Hylton this season, but he is a big body who could give Alabama and their small-ball lineup a huge boost off the bench, and for that reason, I would certainly expect to see a bit more out of him this upcoming season.

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