NCAA Basketball: Top 25 early winners from 2023 offseason moves
By Joey Loose
14. Alabama
The Crimson Tide won the SEC regular season and tournament titles last season before flaming out in the Sweet Sixteen as the Tournament’s #1 overall seed. The program has been in incredible shape since hiring Nate Oats four seasons ago. All-American Brandon Miller was the best freshman in the nation last season and he’s not the only talented piece who won’t be back next year at Alabama, but Oats has been busy in filling those holes.
Former Hofstra star Aaron Estrada averaged 20.2 points per game for the Pride last season and will join the Crimson Tide next year. In addition to landing one of the jewels of the Transfer Portal, the Crimson Tide get starters Mark Sears and Charles Bediako back for another year. 4-star forward Sam Walters highlights a decent recruiting class while the rotation also adds Latrell Wrightsell Jr., a former combo guard at Cal State Fullerton.
The Crimson Tide won’t be the same without Miller and a few of those other guards, but add some strength in that recruiting class and should get a dynamic season out of Estrada. The combination of Estrada and Sears gives Alabama one of the most deadly backcourts in the entire nation, giving them plenty of reason to be a highly-ranked team again next year. Don’t be too surprised if there’s another SEC title hoisted in Tuscaloosa next year.