NCAA Basketball: Ranking the top 25 team backcourts for 2022-23 season

The top four scorers for the Tide last season were guards but just one of them is back in Jahvvon Quinerly. He was second on the team with both 13.8 ppg and 4.2 apg on 41% shooting from the field. Quinerly had a career-high of 26 points and eight assists against South Dakota State at the beginning of last season and had 14 games of at least 17 points and showcased his skills as a quality combo guard on and off the ball.

His new group of guards to play with may be even more talented than last year’s group. The big transfer pickup was Mark Sears, who was a breakout star at Ohio as a sophomore. He averaged a team-leading 19.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg, and 4.1 apg on 44% shooting and 41% from three-point range, as well as 88% from the free throw line.

Sears had numerous big games, including 33 points versus USC Upstate, 19-8-8 against Northern Illinois, and a career-high 35 points against Abilene Christian in the CBI. He’s someone that can take the lead guard role and play off the ball next to Quinerly in the backcourt.

Another incoming transfer is Dominick Welch, who in four years has 105 starts at St. Bonaventure as a double-digit scorer and quality rebounder at 6’5. He also shot 37% from three-point range on over seven attempts and will be a great corned option for the guards to pass to.

There are other guards that Alabama can utilize, including Darius Miles, former five-star prospect and Texas Tech transfer Nimari Burnett (missed last season due to an injury), and four-star guard  Rylan Griffen. And last, but certainly not least, is five-star combo guard freshman Jaden Bradley. He’s a top-20 prospect and another good passer that could easily start for the Tide. And if he doesn’t, that just shows how much depth they have for next season.